Avatar: The Fall
by HakushoRurouni
Summary: Even the shortest amount of time can make the biggest difference.  The smallest gesture of trust circumvent an entire saga.  And yet there is no change without consequence, no life without death.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I know, I know I'm a bad author skipping around all different categories and never finishing a story. What can I say aside from sorry? Anyway, I've been watching nothing but Avatar this summer and I've fallen back in love with the series and characters all over again. That being said, this plot bunny has been attacking me relentlessly for a good long while now.

Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender is not, in any way, shape or form mine. And it never will be.

Avatar: The Fall

Chapter 1- Understanding

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"This is water from the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole. It…it has special healing properties. Maybe it could heal your scar." The waterbender's crystal blue eyes looked deeply into Zuko's golden ones, pleading with him to let her at least try and help.

"Katara," he mumbled with a hint of uncertainty, "What if you need it for something important? This scar…it's not like I'm not used to it by now. I'm not ashamed of it anymore either. Besides, I thought you guys hated me."

Katara shook her head, her eyes set and determined, "Zuko, we don't hate you…at least, _I _don't hate you. You've been banished by your father who sent you on a fool's errand just because you spoke out of turn at a _meeting_!" She put her hand on his shoulder as she saw him wince at the memories, "Did you know that Aang wasn't unfrozen until a year _after _your father told you to find him?"

Zuko's eyes widened in shock and he locked eyes with the waterbender, "W-what? You mean…you mean he _knew? _He knew that he was sending me out in the hopes that I would never find the Avatar?" The fire prince could feel his heart wrenching and tearing at this information.

His father really _didn't _love him.

"I'm so sorry Zuko, I really am." Katara soothed gently as she took one of his hands in hers giving it a soft squeeze, "If your father really loved you, he would never have banished you for speaking your mind, he would never have sent you to accomplish what was then an impossible task, and he would _never_ have given you this scar."

Zuko fell to his knees in shock; his entire world was falling apart all around him. Tears made their way down his pale face as he hunched over, his hands supporting him as his body was racked with sobs.

Katara immediately followed him down, rubbing soothing circles on his back. The sobs that he let out were deep and long, as if his very soul was dying. He sounded as if he'd just lost everything he loved.

Her heart broke for him.

She wrapped her arms around him, bringing the prince close to her and letting him bury his face in the crook of her neck. She could feel the tears as they soaked through her clothes, but she didn't care. Zuko needed this, she was sure of it. Maybe this was the final closure he needed to be completely free of the war going on in his soul.

As he cried into Katara's embrace, Zuko couldn't explain why he felt so safe, so…_loved_ there. This woman comforting him had absolutely no reason to be helping him. In fact, she had every reason _not_ to.

In the past year the only thing that he had done to her, to them, was give them no end to their grief. He had relentlessly pursued them in order to get back into his father's good graces-a feat that he now knew was never supposed to be achieved. How could she…_why _would she feel the urge to console him, much less trust him?

He choked back a sob, breathing deeply as he steadied himself. Pulling away slightly, Zuko looked straight into Katara's concerned eyes.

"Why?"

She gave him a small smile, "That pretty much covers all the bases, doesn't it?"

Despite not wanting to, Zuko felt his lips twitch upward at her comment before the volume of the situation came back to him, "Why Katara?"

Without missing a beat the waterbender answered, "Because I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Because maybe if you hadn't lost your mother none of this would have happened and you would have been a happy child. Because everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. And because I _know_ you're a good person."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock as he stared into the deep blue pools before him, completely and utterly speechless. She thought he was a good person? But hadn't he been ruthlessly hunting the Avatar and his friends these past few years? How could she just…forgive him like it was nothing?

A second chance she'd said.

Everyone deserved a second chance, even him. For the first time since he'd been scarred and banished by his father, he smiled.

"Thank you Katara," he whispered, tears of relief brimming in his eyes, "Thank you."

With that, he buried his face in the crook of her neck once more, feeling freer than he had in a long, long time.

They stayed like that, their arms wrapped around each other and the occasional sniffle from Zuko, until Katara pulled back slightly. At Zuko's questioning look, she pulled the phial of water over her head and quickly emptied it into her hands. The liquid glowed an ethereal blue before forming a glove of water over her hand.

"Just relax and let me heal you Zuko. It might hurt a little, but that just means it's working so don't freak out."

He nodded in understanding as she put her encased hand up to his face and over the horrendous mark. A soft white light began to pulse as she started and a sharp pain lanced through the scar before the skin began to re-stitch itself. Despite the ache, Zuko found that it didn't really bother him. Begrudgingly he realized that this was probably due to the fact that he had grown used to the agony some time ago.

Her face was screwed up in concentration and Zuko took this time to examine her more closely. And she was nothing short of physically stunning.

Dark brown locks tied in one long braid and pulled into two delicate loops fell from her forehead. Her eyes were a deep, pure blue that evoked thoughts of the ocean in Zuko's mind. Hidden within their seemingly calm and serene depths was the same ferocity and danger as the sea. He'd been on the receiving end of both more times than he cared to admit.

Her smooth, chocolate colored skin gave her an exotic beauty that made her all the more tempting, especially to someone who was used to the pale and drab redundancy of the Fire Nation's female populace.

Zuko felt himself flush when it finally dawned on him how close the two of them were.

That, and he was finally starting to open his eyes in regards to her as a _female_ instead of just one of the Avatar's sidekicks.

Katara had brought her other hand up to cup his face, seeming to use it to even the effects of the healing out. Another sharp sting caused Zuko to wince and clench his fists in order to prevent himself from grunting in pain. Now focused on his healing, he realized that he could actually _feel_ his skin knitting itself back together little by little.

It was an interesting sensation, to say the least.

Finally, Katara pulled away, a shaky sigh escaping her lips. She fell, sitting back on her knees, exhaustion evident on her face.

"Katara?" Zuko questioned, concerned for the water bender who had gone pale.

Opening her eyes, Katara looked up into the Fire Prince's worried gaze and smiled at him, "You look even _better_ than before. _Much _more handsome." With that, the young bender collapsed backwards, her eyes rolling up into her head.

"Katara!"

Zuko reacted instinctively, shooting up and catching her before her head could connect with the ground.

Sitting down slowly, he gently pulled her head onto his lap, frowning when she didn't stir. It was then that he noticed the sweat on her forehead, and his frown deepened.

'_I guess…I guess healing my scar took a lot more out of her than she thought it would.'_

His eyes shot open and his hand flew to his face, Katara's words ringing in his ears, '_You look even better than before. Much more handsome.'_

Tentatively, almost as if he was scared, Zuko ran his hand over the left side of his face where the symbol of his banishment resided.

And felt nothing but smooth, healed skin.

Eyes wide and mouth open in shock, Zuko could barely breathe as his fingers brushed the once scarred flesh of his cheek and moved over the eye that he'd been unable to see out of for years. Now both were unblemished as though nothing had been marred in the first place.

Glancing down in awe at Katara, the Fire Prince couldn't help but let a few more tears fall down his cheeks, relishing the feel of the drops that ran down the left side of his face. She had really done it! She'd really healed him!

He smiled slowly when he noticed that her breathing had evened out, the steady rise and fall of her chest signaling that she had fallen asleep. She looked so calm, so…peaceful.

Something stirred within him as he took in her slumbering form. A sudden desire to run his fingers through her hair overtook him, and he complied, tenderly moving a few strands out of her face and behind her ear.

Despite everything they had gone through and everything he had ever done to this girl and her friends, she had found it in her heart to forgive him. Somehow, she had seen something within him that was worthwhile and she was willing to take a leap of faith.

Someone, aside from his uncle, had seen fit to trust him and give him hope, not shun him like his family had.

And he'd be damned if he was going to betray that trust.

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A/N: So there you have it, chapter one. I've got to say, the moment Aang and Iroh burst into the catacombs and interrupt Katara and Zuko's "moment" has pissed me off to no end ever since the first time I saw it. Damn that bald little Airbender! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the next one and please...a review wouldn't hurt.

-HakushoRurouni


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well here we are again ladies and gents, another day, another chapter. I have to say I was happy with the first chapter and the way it was received, or at least the way it _seemed_ to be received, as the general consensus was encouraging. Some people are like me and read for hours and then forget to review due to the fact that their eyes hurt something awful at the end.

Anyway, thank you to those of you who reviewed or put this story on your Alert as we are about to dive into the deep end head first!

Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar. If I did things would have gone..._differently_.

Chapter 2- Choosing a Side

Zuko didn't know when exactly he'd laid his head back against the crystalline walls of their prison or when he'd fallen asleep. All he knew was that he hadn't felt so calm and refreshed in a very long time.

With a content sigh he rolled his neck, relishing in the satisfying pops the movement elicited. Opening his eyes slowly, they fell to the face of the dark skinned beauty resting on his lap.

"So it wasn't a dream," Zuko mumbled, a small smile gracing his features as he silently gave thanks to Agni.

He let out a low chuckle, feeling like a completely different person. In all his years of life he had only ever prayed as a young boy at meals when his mother would remind him. He was always in the process of jumping right into the delicious food placed before him when his mother's stern, yet gentle voice stopped him in his tracks.

_(Flashback)_

"_Zuko! You're forgetting something darling," Ursa chided lightly, her eyes alight with amusement but face expectant, "What do we always do before we eat?"_

_His disgruntled huffs of annoyance fell on deaf ears before, with a resigned sigh, he responded, "We pray and give thanks to Agni for all that has been given to us."_

_With an approving nod, Ursa continued, "That's right dearest, we pray. For without Agni's blessings and guidance we could not be as lucky as we are. There are those who will go to sleep tonight with empty stomachs, on hard cobblestone roads, and without the love of family. Some will not even wake up from their slumber, deprived of life simply because they could not find sympathy amongst man."_

_Ursa turned to her son, her eyes full of love and her face in a bright smile, "I thank Agni everyday for giving me you Zuko. For blessing me with a handsome, intelligent, compassionate son who will grow into a remarkable man and go on to do great things." _

_Zuko could feel himself blushing under his mother's praise, but he enjoyed every minute of it. He never received such words of love from his father, much less a sign of acknowledgement. _

"_What are you thankful for Zuko?"_

"_I'm thankful for you Mama," he said without hesitating, "I love you so much! You're always there to help me and talk to me if I need you. And you're not mean like Azula and…and Dad." He sniffed here, fighting back the sting of tears that threatened to spill and failing, "They don't love me Mama. I try and try to get them to love me, but all they wanna do is fight and stay in the war room all day. They hate me 'cuz I don't think it's any fun doing that forever!"_

_The pain on her son's face was enough to drive Ursa to envelop him in a tight hug, her arms wrapping securely around her child, "Oh Zuko, sweetheart…please don't cry darling. Shh, shh, shh. Hush baby, please! I didn't mean to make you cry, I'm so sorry." _

_Zuko's tiny arms wound their way around her neck, clinging to her as if his life depended on it, his face buried in the crook of her neck. Ursa's hands made soothing circles on his back as she whispered softly to him, "Shh…hush now my baby. I love you so much." _

_Slowly, Zuko's sobs turned to small whimpers and, despite any earlier hunger, he began to drift off to sleep. With a loving smile, Ursa spoke soothingly into her son's ear._

"_Just remember my baby; Agni gives us everything we need. All we have to do is make sure we realize that sometimes, it is not always what we think it should be. Agni is ever watchful and all knowing and we need only be thankful for the chances given to us. Remember that Zuko."_

_A yawn escaped his small mouth, his eyes drooping closed, safe and secure in the blanket of his mother's arms. _

"_Yes Mama."_

_(End Flashback)  
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He was brought out of his reverie by a soft groan and movement from his lap. Looking down, Zuko saw that Katara was finally coming to, a slightly pained look on her face.

Concern washed over his features and his hand went to smooth the hair out of her face. Softly, he whispered her name trying to gently coax her out of her slumber.

"Katara."

Another groan, but this time her eyes fluttered open, her bright blue orbs meeting his amber ones almost immediately. They widened instantly, and Zuko was ashamed to see a hint of fear flash across her face, before she seemed to remember what had happened.

"Z-Zuko?" At his nod she continued, "What…how long have I been asleep?"

With a small laugh, Zuko shrugged, "To be honest with you, I have no idea. I fell asleep too, but you passed out just after you…healed my scar." He flicked his eyes away from her, suddenly self-conscious, and brought a hand up to the spot where the mark had been.

He felt her cool hand cover his own and his eyes went back to her face, now with a look of calm satisfaction gracing her features.

"I really outdid myself this time, didn't I?" She let out a soft giggle and Zuko could feel his stomach flutter at the sound. "Zuko? You really _do _look good. I wasn't lying when I said that earlier." A small blush spread across her cheeks as she said this and her eyes fell from his, though she did not try to rescind her comment.

His own face burned at the praise and he desperately tried to settle his racing heart. "I didn't get a chance to thank you," he whispered, his free hand scratching the back of his head to try and quell the feelings of embarrassment, "For…everything."

The smile that spread across Katara's face was so dazzling that Zuko felt his stomach flip and his heart start flying once again.

"Zuko, I know that you're a good person. It's just…you've never had the chance to really show it. You've been forced into doing things that you never wanted to do by your father and your psychotic sister…uh…no offense."

The prince smirked, "None taken. She's been...a certified nut, for lack of a better word, as long as I can remember."

Katara laughed again and continued, "I think you just need the opportunity to make your own choices for once, you know? Without trying to live up to their deranged expectations."

Zuko sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, "I really can't believe how stupid I've been Katara. I never should have let myself be a part of the pain that my nation has caused. I knew it was wrong. Before my mother…well she taught me so much better than that! And so did my uncle, but—"

"But you wanted to be accepted by your father and your sister, I know Zuko. But what's done is done and we can't change the past. But you can change your future and who you'll make yourself into."

Zuko's lips twitched upwards and he was about to respond when there was a loud crash from the opposite side of the catacomb prison. Instinctively, Zuko shifted Katara behind him and stood up, falling into a defensive stance with his fists flaming dangerously.

But when the smoke cleared it was not Azula who stood before them, but the young airbending Avatar who was coming out of what looked to be an earthbending form, and Zuko's own uncle, the small flame in his hand showing that he had been lighting the way for the small boy.

"Katara?"

"Uncle?"

"Zuko?"

"Aang?"

"What're you _doing_ here?"

"What did you _do_ to her?"

"How did you get _here_?"

"What happened to your _face_?"

"_What_ is going _on_?"

Unable to discern anything amidst the cacophony of questions and shouts, Iroh let out a loud bark, effectively silencing the three teens in front of him.

"ENOUGH!" Seeing that he had their attention, the wizened general continued, "We are not getting anywhere with all this shouting. Avatar Aang I suggest you and our young waterbending friend get moving before Azula has a chance to catch up!"

With a nod at Iroh and a glare at Zuko, Aang bent open the unmarred wall of crystallized earth and jumped in, turning back and waiting for Katara.

Said bender was just about to climb in after the Avatar but stopped and caught Zuko's eyes, "Remember Zuko, it's our choices that make us who we are. I believe in you."

And with a bright smile, she leapt down to meet Aang and slowly they both disappeared into the darkness.

Iroh saw the small smile that was threatening to turn into a full-fledged grin on his nephew's face and couldn't help but chuckle, "It seems you have made yet another friend nephew, and quite a pretty one at that! And she is also very talented in healing no doubt."

Zuko's blush was enough to markedly heat up the frigid prison, but he did not try to deny his uncle's claim.

Putting a hand on the young prince's shoulder, Iroh sighed, "Zuko, the time has come for you to make a decision…a choice, rather. Just like your lady friend said."

Zuko tensed, knowing what was coming. His decision would change the rest of his life.

Zuko and Iroh quickly made their way down the tunnel created by Aang, the thunderous sounds of fighting hastening their steps.

Upon their arrival, Zuko saw that the Avatar and Katara were facing off against Azula who was poised dangerously and ready to strike. The other two benders looked worse for the wear and Zuko decided that it was time to step in and put an end to things once and for all.

Gathering all of his fury, the formerly scarred prince let loose a gigantic blaze of flames that blew a crater into the earth between the two opposing parties, dust and debris flying in every direction. Once the attention was on him, Zuko couldn't help but smirk dangerously.

When Azula's indifferent stare caught his face, he was both pleased and surprised to see her actually stagger back in shock. Wondering why, his own eyes had flicked back to his uncle who simply pointed at his face. Of course! He'd forgotten that his scar was no longer there. She shook off her astonishment quickly enough and proceeded to regale him with everything his heart could have ever desired.

He held his tongue however, and did not respond.

The once tempting promises of returning home and regaining his honor fell upon deaf ears. There was no appeal to the banished prince anymore; he didn't need to prove himself to anyone.

He made his choice easily.

It must have happened sometime between his Uncle's urgings and Azula's tainted promises accompanied by quiet reinforcement of dozens of Dai Li agents. Or maybe it was in that moment when his former enemy had taken it upon herself to show him kindness and forgiveness when everyone else had turned him away.

Honestly Zuko liked the second one better, but he wasn't about to tell his sister that.

If there was one strategy that his uncle had drilled into his head it was that the element of surprise was an invaluable ally and not to be squandered early in the game.

"Well Zuzu?" Azula queried, her tone for once lacking any of the condescending haughtiness she usually spoke with, "Will you help me? Will you help us, your family…your _nation_?"

All eyes were on the prince, Aang's angry and mistrustful, Azula's confident and waiting, his uncle's concerned and cautious. But there was only one gaze that really mattered to Zuko: Katara's.

Here blue eyes held understanding and hope.

And in a matter of seconds, Zuko's decision was solidified. Just as he was opening his mouth to speak, a flood of green made its way into the large underground arena. With a silent curse, Zuko knew his chances of effectively surprising his sister were next to none now.

The Dai Li had arrived.

Without waiting for her brother's answer, Azula barked her orders, "GET THEM! DO _NOT _LET THEM ESCAPE!"

Immediately the agents were moving, jumping into battle seamlessly and calling their element to do their bidding as they surrounded the five fighters. The majority focused on Iroh, his reputation garnering the most respect from the earthbenders.

The Avatar and Katara were split up, the Dai Li not taking any chances by allowing the both of them to work together. The earth warriors hesitated with Zuko, unsure if Azula's orders extended to her kin as well.

"Zuko?" Azula asked, stance low and arms held ready, "What's your answer?"

Zuko smirked and turned to face Aang and Katara.

"Duck."

And then his arms exploded in two enormous blasts of hellish fire, taking dozens of Dai Li agents down before they even had a chance to think.

The wide-eyed shock and disbelief on the Avatar's face said it all.

"Wrong choice brother mine," growled Azula dangerously, her eyes blazing with fury. She charged him, and the fight was on.

Zuko had only ever fought his sister during sparring matches and even though those had been intense bouts, they paled in comparison to Azula's fury in a full-fledged battle. She was light and agile on her feet never staying in one place for more than a couple of seconds and she was constantly on the offensive, her blue fire a lethal and deadly force that never seemed to falter.

"Aw, what's the matter Zuzu?" she taunted, a cocky smirk gracing her delicate features, "Is little sister too much for you to handle? I don't think father's going to be very pleased when I tell him that you've sided with the Avatar and his traveling circus!"

Zuko growled, hurling a ball of fire straight at his sister's head, which was dodged easily.

"On second thought dear brother, father will be _very _pleased when I present him with both yours _and _Uncle's heads on a silver platter! Agni knows it's high time that that overweight, traitorous, tea loving oaf gets his due!"

"Don't you _dare _disrespect Uncle like that!" He loosed a vibrant volley of flames at Azula, ceasing only when he couldn't see through the dust he had kicked up.

Breathing heavily and feeling completely winded, Zuko didn't notice the group of six Dai Li agents that were sneaking up behind him until he was knocked completely off his feet, a stone pillar catching him right across the chin and sending stars through his vision. Another one connected with his stomach, leaving him out of breath and doubled over grasping his stomach in pain.

"Poor, poor Zuzu," came Azula's mocking voice, "bested by his little sister and wiped completely from the pages of history, lost in the caverns of Ba Sing Se!" There was maniacal laughter before she spoke again, "I'll just let you watch as I finish off the rest of your allies one by one! Starting with that little Water Tribe peasant you seem so fond of!"

"Katara!" Zuko yelled in desperation, trying to catch the water bender's attention before she could be blind-sided by Azula.

Thankfully she heard him and, despite the Dai Li surrounding her, was able to erect a shield of water to fend off Azula's flames.

Satisfied that she had warded off his sister for the moment, Zuko turned back to the earth benders in front of him, his hands enveloped in flames. With a smirk, he crouched into his bending stance, "Who's first?"

They all came together, each one doing something different, but each of them intent on killing him. He dodged a pair of flying fists, flipped over a pillar of earth, incinerated flying boulders, and evaded a potential tomb of rocks.

And then it was Zuko's turn.

"You guys know what happens when you play with fire, right?" His hand reached over his shoulder, going to his Dao sword and unsheathing it, reveling in the feeling of the weapon under his palm. He grabbed the hilt and, in one swift motion, split it in half revealing dual swords, "Eventually, you're going to get _burned_!" And he set the blades alight, red orange flames licking and swirling along their length dangerously.

Within seconds, all six of the benders were out of the fight, some permanently others merely unconscious. Zuko looked over the carnage of the battlefield and spotted his uncle holding his own against what looked to be some fifteen or twenty odd Dai Li.

Next he found the Avatar fending off his own group of earth benders effectively, though he looked like he was tiring quickly.

And Katara…

The waterbending master was keeping the Dai Li agents at bay but she didn't see Azula coming up from behind her, fists burning with her signature blue flames. She pulled her arms back and began to throw.

"_No! Katara!" _he yelled, his stomach falling in fear at the realization that, no matter how fast he ran, he wouldn't make it in time to protect her. His heart hammered in fear as she turned around only to be met by blue flames. Thankfully they only caught her shoulder, but it was enough to leave her vulnerable to the Dai Li's continued assault.

With a fierce roar, Zuko launched himself towards her, his rage fueling the fury inside of him and suddenly everything was hot, even for him, but it was invigorating. Not pausing to question his sudden boost in energy and stamina, Zuko's fist connected with a Dai Li agent knocking the man out cold, before he brought his foot around to kick another one in the face, a satisfying crunch splitting the air.

His swords lashed out, a deadly dance of flashing metal and flame eradicating the earth bender ranks before him. It was as he put the last one down, a clean slice through the front of the man's armor, that Zuko noticed that flames engulfing his Dao swords were not the normal red-orange that he had become accustomed to, but a bright, pure white.

He could only blink in awe; he had never managed to produce anything but the standard flames. They were incredible. Clearing his head, he turned to the singed water bender and knelt down to help her up, "You okay?"

Shaking off Azula's surprise attack, Katara managed to get back to her feet, taking Zuko's offered hand and moving her hair, which had fallen out of its braid, out of her face. She gave him a small smile, her eyes alight despite the battle raging around them, "Thank you Zuko."

He returned her smile, "Anytime."

Suddenly, he felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, and he grabbed Katara and pulled her down to the ground with him, covering her body with his. The enormous wall of blue flames passed dangerously close to their heads and impacted with the ground just behind them.

"Oh how sweet," Azula growled, her fingers curling in annoyance, "how _sickeningly _sweet. Little Zuzu protecting his Water Tribe whore! You disappoint me brother, I thought you had better taste than _that_!"

She sent another blast at them, this time a curved sweep from her foot. Zuko reacted instantly, stepping up in front of Katara and lighting his blades once again, the new flames springing to life. He split the swelling flames down the middle, sending the two halves away from them in opposite directions.

Azula's face wore a look of surprise for a second time that day when she saw the flames her brother was wielding. He'd stepped up the ante. Maybe it was time she did as well.

"Nice try Azula, but you won't get through me that easily."

Zuko's cocky grin was enough to strike a nerve in his sister's calm exterior, but she covered it quickly, her own smirk slowly making its way over her face. With a snap of her fingers, there were scores of Dai Li agents surrounding them again.

Zuko's eyes narrowed, "What's the matter sis, can't fight your own battles?"

The Fire Nation princess laughed at this, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye, "Oh don't be so silly Zuko! I just have bigger fish to _fry_ is all," turning to the earth benders she hissed, "Kill them this time or else it'll be _your _heads on display!" With that, she ran towards Aang who was still struggling to fight off a seemingly endless wave of Dai Li.

And suddenly, her words made sense.

"_I just have bigger fish to _fry _is all."_

"Katara, we have to get to the Avatar _now_! Azula's going to kill him!" At his urging, Katara started the fight in earnest, pulling a vast amount of water from the nearby spring as Zuko himself began launching fireballs and slicing his lit swords through the masses.

They were moving towards Aang steadily, though judging from his pained cries it wasn't fast enough. After a particularly heart wrenching cry, there was a sudden silence and then everyone around them seemed to go still.

Chancing a glance, Zuko and Katara saw that Azula and the Dai Li were focused on a small crystal shelter. And if the looks of frustration on their enemy's faces were any indication, it was incredibly strong.

"Aang must have holed himself up in there," Katara muttered, worry etched on her face as she took in the constant assault upon her friend's haven.

"Then we should hurry, we need to get to him fast!" Zuko whispered back, his eyes on Azula who was watching the barrage on the Avatar's sanctuary with a cold, calculating glare. With a roar, Zuko sent an enormous burst of pure white flame through half of the attacking agents.

Katara took her cue from the firebender and whipped up a frenzy of deadly water whips, her hair flying haphazardly around her face.

But they had caught the attention of the rest of the Dai Li and they moved to intercept the two warriors. As one, the earth benders willed their element to overwhelm the fugitives and, despite all their effort, Katara and Zuko were quickly taken down, the attacks hammering them mercilessly.

And then there was a deafening explosion and an ethereal light filled the entire cavern, temporarily blinding those within.

When the light dimmed they could see Aang floating in midair, his eyes, body and arrow tattoos blazing with the light that could only signal one thing: he had managed to get to the Avatar state.

A smile was just about to grace Katara's face when a sharp crack rent the air and suddenly, Aang was falling, the light of the otherworldly power abandoning him as quickly as it had come. He crashed into the ground hard with nothing to stop him. He didn't try to bend; he didn't try to brace himself.

A sickening _thud _echoed through the cavern and Aang lay still.

And behind him, her fingers still sparking with unused lighting, Azula smirked triumphantly, her eyes finding Zuko's amidst the carnage. And an icy hand gripped his heart as fear engulfed him.

The Avatar was dead.

"_AANG! NO!" _Katara's cry broke Zuko's heart as he caught her, keeping her from rushing to her death to get to the Avatar's body. "Let me go Zuko! Let me _go!_"

"Zuko!"

Head snapping around Zuko spotted his uncle, who he had completely forgotten about during the chaos, running toward them, "Take miss Katara, get the Avatar's body and _get out of here_! I will hold them off, you can do no more here right now."

"Uncle—" but Iroh cut him off.

"_GO!_"

With a nod, Zuko grabbed Katara's hand and ran towards Aang's lifeless body. Azula and the Dai Li were now occupied with the Dragon of the West and the two of them reached him unopposed.

Zuko gently picked up the fallen bender and turned to Katara whose eyes were glazed over as she stared in disbelief at her friend's body.

"Katara! We have to go, we have to go _now_!"

His voice snapped her out of her daze and her battle experience kicked in. Quickly she bent the water into a solid platform below the three of them and then they were rising up and out of the cavern.

The last thing Zuko saw before he lost sight of the battle was his uncle surrendering himself now that they were out of danger.

And suddenly, he had never felt more lost.

A/N: And there you go! Probably one of the more epic chapters I've ever written-in terms of dynamics anyway. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed writing the flashback moment between Ursa and Zuko. Zuko's life before his grandfather's death has always piqued my interest and the few scenes we have of Ursa and Zuko interacting are really moving in their depth despite their lack of screen time.

I love you guys forever and I'd enjoy hearing what you all have to say about this one. Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	3. Interlude

A/N: Hello again. Thank you guys so much for the reviews and support so far, I can't tell you how much they mean to me and help me keep things going. But, to the point.

A brief interlude here marks a substantial turning point in the lives of our heroes and plays an important part in the shaping of coming events.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Interlude<p>

In the dead of night, two teenagers silently made their way through the streets of Ba Sing Se, the taller one carrying the broken form of a third. A faint trail of tears on the dirt street below them was the only evidence of their escape.

Rounding the corner, their gaze caught four figures astride a giant flying bison gliding away from them. Relief flooding their veins, they began to sprint after the creature, flailing their arms but remaining silent. They could not afford to be caught now.

Thankfully, the bison made another pass and there was a loud exclamation from one of the people on it and the beast responded, changing course. Flying low and close to the ground, it made a soft landing in front of them before letting loose a low, mournful groan.

And the bison wasn't the only one to perceive the dark and solemn aura surrounding the benders.

Questions and accusations flew: some scathing, some tearful, and some in utter disbelief. All were silenced by the broken waterbender's quiet pleas to leave. Her face was hard and distant but her tears were all the convincing the group needed.

The firebender was carefully relieved of the former Avatar and helped, reluctantly, atop the mount. He turned back and offered his hand to his companion and she took it, her teary eyes meeting his briefly, before she collapsed into his arms and began to weep as they flew off into the night.

And because of the tears, the grief and shock resounding through the teens atop the massive animal, they were unaware of the hand that desperately clenched the bison's fur in agony before falling, lifeless, to death.

* * *

><p>There was no joy amongst the group when they met up with the resistance.<p>

Despite finally seeing their father again, the Water Tribe children could only meet his gaze with defeated, scared eyes. And, once explained, the gravity of the situation seemed to age the man before their very eyes.

Mistrust and scorn greeted the Fire Nation Prince. He only avoided shackles and a cell because of the water bender's appeal on his behalf, threatening any who dared try and harm him.

Two days passed with agonizing defeat hanging thick in the air.

On the third day they placed the Avatar in a metal box, which was all that could be found aboard the Fire Nation ship, and laid him to rest in the vast, swirling ocean.

Tears fell freely from all; some for the boy who had been so close to their hearts, others for the darkness that now seemed inevitable, and still others for the injustice that seemed to plague the world in which they lived.

And once the box vanished beneath the waves, all hope went with it.

The Avatar was dead.

And the world turned to fire.

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><p>AN: So there you have it. As always I hope you enjoyed this little bit and that it prepares you for future chapters. I'd love feedback to be able to see what you guys thought and, as we all know, reviews are love!

Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hello ladies and gentlemen! We're continuing the descent into the deep end with yet another...intense chapter, to say the least. Before that though, I want to tell you guys that you all rock for reviewing and adding this story to your alerts. They really give me motivation to keep things going!

There IS graphic content in this chapter. If you are offended by, or would rather just not read it, I have inserted warnings at the beginning and end of said content. Granted it will make the chapter shorter but...

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar.

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Chapter 3: Steam

Zuko heard her sobs long before her tent came into view.

His heart broke for her; he knew exactly what it felt like to lose a loved one. It felt like your world was going to end, like nothing mattered anymore. You would eventually start down a long, dark path that led to questioning what your purpose in the world was.

And he refused to let her fall that far.

He quietly pulled open the flap to her tent and poked his head in and caught sight of the bender. She looked absolutely broken…defeated. She lay on her sleeping mat, face down with her head on her arms, dry tears evidence to her pain.

"Katara," he whispered, trying not to startle her.

She gave no indication that she had heard him so he continued.

"Katara are you…alright?" he finished lamely, immediately wishing he could take back the question, "I-I mean…is there anything I can do for you? Do…you need anything?"

Still nothing.

With a sigh Zuko entered the tent and took a seat next to the prone girl. Her weeping had quieted, but hadn't lessened in intensity as her entire body was still wracked with dry sobs.

"Katara," Zuko began trying desperately to figure out what to say to the distraught bender, "I…well, there…dammit, how did Uncle do this?" The last was said in a frustrated whisper. He didn't want to leave her alone while she was dying of a broken heart, but he just wasn't as eloquent with comforting others as his uncle was.

'_Just speak from your heart Zuko. Do not force things and do not try and _make_ her get over her pain. Time heals all wounds. Some just take a little longer than others to do so.'_

Another sigh escaped his lips and Zuko put his face in his hands. After a few moments of silence, he spoke, "Listen Katara. I can't make you feel better about losing A—" he stopped quickly, not sure whether to say Aang's name or not, but decided not to sugar coat anything (that's the way he would have wanted it anyway), "about losing Aang. I just…I want you to know that you're not alone, okay? You're not alone in this…in losing someone that you loved."

Suddenly, Katara stopped shaking and slowly raised her head to look at him through tear filled eyes, "Y-your mother." It wasn't a question, just an acknowledgement.

Zuko nodded and tentatively reached a hand out to wipe away the tear tracks running down her face, "Yeah. Katara I know that you've been through a lot, Agni I'm ashamed to admit _I've_ been the cause of most of it, but you're strong. You're one of the strongest people I know. Stronger than that psychotic sister of mine, stronger than your brother, than your father, stronger than _me_!"

His heart leapt a little as a tiny snort of laughter escaped her throat. She slapped a hand over her mouth quickly and looked away from Zuko, shame clouding her face.

"Hey," he whispered, gently taking her chin in his hand and turning her to face him, "it isn't wrong to laugh Katara. What's wrong is stopping yourself from feeling, from living." He caressed her face softly; a pleased flush running through him as she leaned into is hand.

"I know. I…I just think that," she hesitated and brought her own hand to Zuko's, holding it in place as she sat up, "that it's disrespectful, you know? I mean he's only been gone for a little over a week. Aang…" she choked back a sob and squeezed his hand tighter, desperately looking for some kind of comfort.

Zuko responded immediately, pulling her into his arms and holding her close. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck and cried, the gut-wrenching sobs returning in full force as she clung to him desperately. He lightly rested his chin on her head and began to tenderly stroke her hair, softly whispering in her ear.

"It's alright Katara, just let it out. Shh, just let it go."

"He…he was so _young _Zuko! He was just a boy a-and he didn't deserve to die! Was it his fault that he was born to be the Avatar? Was it?" She was whispering but her voice was cracking in hysterics.

"No…no he definitely _didn't_ deserve to die. He shouldn't have died; he shouldn't have been forced into that fight in the first place. If only I hadn't let my guard down and gotten so confident…I _let_ Azula kill him! I-it was my fault! I'm the reason Aang is dead." By the time he'd finished speaking, Zuko's voice was little more than a whisper laced with remorse, "And I left Uncle. I managed to lose the only family that loves me _and _kill the Avatar in the same day…I'm a monster."

There was a resounding _SMACK_ as Katara's hand met Zuko's cheek, the raw fury obvious as her eyes blazed blue and for a moment he was afraid she was going to start bending fire.

"Don't you _dare_ say that Zuko! Don't you _dare_! Aang's death was no one's fault but Azula's! She took advantage of all the chaos around us, she was the one who was trying to get him, and _she _was the one who shot him with lightning! Not you! And your uncle did what he did for _you_ Zuko. He did it so that we could escape _alive_ and give Aang—" she stopped again, taking a deep breath to try and calm herself, "to give Aang a proper burial and not be paraded around like some trophy by the Fire Nation!"

She grabbed him closer, her hands going around his shoulders and tucking her head into his chest, "You have to be the strong one right now Zuko…please. You need to be strong…for _me_!"

And despite the tears that were falling down his face, despite the slight sting on his cheek from where she'd slapped him, he knew then and there that he loved her. And he would be strong for her because she _needed _him.

"Always Katara. I'll always be there for you. I-I…" he stopped, his heart now pounding as he realized what he'd almost said. He couldn't do that to her now, not when her emotions were convoluted with Aang's death and the loss of the war being only a matter of time.

"You what, Zuko?" Katara had come out from the comfort of his chest and was looking at him intently, a kind of desperation in her eyes, "What were you going to say?"

He shook his head, "Nothing…it's nothing Katara I—"

But she had grabbed his collar and pulled him down to meet her imploring gaze, "Please Zuko, please just _tell me_! I-I have to know…_please_!"

With her pleading eyes and the near agony in her voice, Zuko caved. '_Anything to keep her happy._'

"Katara…I-I…" it was so much harder to say outside of his mind but the tears streaking down Katara's face spurred him on, "I l-love you Katara."

He lowered his head as soon as he spoke, sure that he would be met with only rejection and disgust.

What he didn't expect was to feel soft hands on his face, or to look into wide blue eyes that were filled with hope and longing.

And he definitely never expected to feel her soft lips on his in a heated kiss.

He lost himself in the pleasure of the kiss; all of the emotions running through his body were enough to give him an almost euphoric high. He had never felt this way in his life. There was no possible way to describe the kiss other than perfect.

'_No,'_ his conscious growled, _'she's just looking for an outlet. She doesn't really want this she just thinks that she does. You have to stop this before something bad happens and she winds up hating you forever!'_

Reluctantly, Zuko pulled away from Katara and held her at arms length, "Katara…w-we can't do this. Not right now. You're confused and you don't really want this, you just…you'll just wind up hating me later."

She shook her head in denial, sending her long brown hair flying back and forth, "You're wrong Zuko; I _do_ want this! I've wanted to kiss you since you first stepped off of that Fire Nation ship back in the North Pole. I've been slowly falling for you since you first started chasing us."

Zuko's eyes shot open in surprise at the revelation, stunned into silence. Katara could only offer him a tentative smile, a small blush crossing over her face.

"Y-y-you…like…since…me?" He couldn't put together a coherent sentence but she nodded in confirmation all the same. Nothing seemed to be making any sense anymore. So he did the only thing that did, to him at least.

He kissed her.

_Hard._

_(WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT AHEAD)  
><em>

And Katara didn't hesitate to respond. She kissed him back with equal fervor, her hands going into his hair and tugging greedily. Her tongue met his lips briefly before he reciprocated, both of them clashing hungrily.

Zuko ran his hands across her back before finding the hem of her Water Tribe garment. Quickly he snaked his hands up and under and felt her cool, smooth flesh against his own. His heart started to pound as he continued to move up higher and higher, over her toned stomach and wrappings before pausing just below her breasts.

He pulled back and looked deep into her lust filled eyes, "Katara are you su—"

He was silenced by another searing kiss, the waterbender's hands grasping his own and pressing them into her chest, eliciting an excited moan from the girl.

"Zuko!" she gasped against his mouth, moving her hands to his shirt and lifting it over his head, revealing his muscled stomach and chest. Now exposed, she started trailing kisses down his neck all the way to his stomach.

Zuko, not to be outdone, swiftly removed Katara's tunic leaving her upper body covered only by her wrappings. He stopped Katara's roaming mouth and returned the favor, though taking more time at her neck, successfully finding a sensitive spot there. His hands still moved lightly over her body; breasts, stomach, and arms.

His mouth made it to her shoulders, the skin underneath flushing with goose bumps at the contact, before he moved down even further only to be met with the rough material of her wraps.

Katara let out a frustrated groan; her hands tangled in his hair as she growled, "Just take them off! Agni Zuko, take them _off_!"

He didn't need to be told twice.

Deftly, he removed the wraps, exposing Katara from the waist up. Not wasting any time, he immediately picked up where he had left off, moving down to her breasts, cupping one with his free hand and moving his mouth over the other. He kneaded and kissed them, playing with her small taut peaks while gently laying her down.

Her hands made their way to the waistband of his pants, finding the buckle of his belt and undoing it. One small, delicate hand snuck into his pants, finding his stiff member easily.

Now it was Zuko's turn to groan in pleasure as she held him in her hand.

"Katara!"

His husky, guttural voice sent shivers down her spine and she gripped his erection firmly, now beginning to stroke him slowly in response.

All coherent thought left Zuko as Katara continued her ministrations. "Oh _Katara_! Ah!" He could feel himself coming closer and closer to losing it, and he didn't want this to be over already.

He reached down and grabbed her hand, stopping her. At her questioning gaze, he simply replied, "My turn."

He proceeded to yank off her skirt and wrappings, leaving her completely naked. He kissed down her stomach and to her navel before slowly moving lower and lower until he found her womanhood. As soon as his tongue met her silky folds, her back arched as she moaned in ecstasy.

"_Zuko_! Oh, oh _oh_!" Her hips started to buck against his mouth, slowly at first before going faster and faster. She tugged at his head, desperately trying to get him even closer to her than he already was, before she tensed, locking up and yanking at his hair, "_ZUKO!_"

When she came down from the euphoria, she pulled him up to her mouth and kissed him hungrily. "I want you…I _need you_! _Now!"_

Zuko nodded, shedding his pants as fast as he could, finally naked himself, before he lay down between her long, brown legs inches separating her from him. He caught her eyes; they were begging him to.

So he complied.

If he had thought the sensation of kissing her was incredible, if he had sworn the feel of her hand on his member left him unable to think, it was _nothing_ compared to the feel of being inside Katara, being one with her.

Both of their breaths caught in their throats and they stayed at the initial point of contact for what seemed like forever, eyes closed in pure ecstasy.

Zuko opened his eyes and was met by Katara's soft blue ones, "I love you Katara." He leaned down slowly, not yet wanting to disturb the pleasure between his legs, and kissed her tenderly.

When he pulled away, Katara responded, "And I love you Zuko."

And then Zuko, slowly but steadily, began to move back and forth conscious of Katara's innocence.

"J-just go Zuko, do it! I can take a little pain." She urged, clenching her fists in anticipation.

"Okay. It'll only hurt for a little bit Katara, I promise."

And with one sharp thrust and gasp from, Zuko and Katara respectively, it was over.

"Give me a second, please." Katara asked with a whimper, trying to regain her composure. With a deep breath, she nodded, "Okay, I'm ready."

Zuko started up a steady rhythm again, this time going deeper now that there was no obstacle.

"Zuko…Zuko, oh," Katara moaned, his name coming out as half a whisper and half a shout.

Knowing that it would be bad to wake the others camped around them Zuko silenced her with a passionate kiss while at the same time increasing his pace.

Faster and faster they went and before he knew it, Katara was matching him on every thrust, meeting him halfway. Everything intensified for both as they continued kissing. Katara was moaning louder and louder into his mouth, the feel of those vibrations sending his head spinning.

Closer now, they picked up speed until they were at a frenzied pace. Zuko could feel himself about to finish and, if the tightening of Katara's body was any indication, so was she.

They couldn't keep their lips locked any more, things felt so desperate. Their panting grew louder and faster, Katara's moans barely held in check. Zuko was pushing his endurance to the limit; he could feel his arms crying out in protest at having to hold his body up for so long in order not to crush Katara.

And then…bliss.

"_ZUKO!"_

"_KATARA!"_

_(END GRAPHIC CONTENT)  
><em>

He collapsed over her, making sure that he didn't hurt the waterbender, and laid his head in the crook of her neck breathing deeply and trying to slow his pounding heart.

Katara herself was in much the same condition, though she didn't have to find a place to rest her head. Zuko's breath tickled her neck and she absentmindedly ran her hands through his hair.

Finally catching his breath, Zuko rolled to the side and off Katara. He immediately missed the warmth of her body and hurriedly gathered her into his arms, pulling her into his chest. He smiled as she snuggled into him trying to find a comfortable position. She settled with a soft, satisfied sigh.

Zuko pulled her blanket over the both of them before wrapping his arms securely around her once again. There was a brief moment of silence before he heard her murmur softly.

"I love you."

Another smile crossed his face as he pulled her closer, "And I love you."

And not two minutes later, both were asleep in each other's arms.

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A/N: There you go folks! If you think things were just a _tad_ rushed with Zuko and Katara (insert sarcasm if desired) I can see where you're coming from. However, think on this: people who are emotionally distraught have a tendency to act on their emotions impulsively rather than thinking things through. I'm not saying that what Zuko and Katara have is just a matter of situational opportunity, but the fact that the emotions have been repressed and are now being coupled with the death of Aang and the loss/capture of Iroh, make them rather eager to seek comfort, in this case intimate comfort, with the other.

Having said that, I can understand if the content of this chapter offended you. I don't want to lose any one of you guys to something as trivial as a piece of detailed fiction, but I can't say that I'm sorry for taking this story in the direction I am. I love all of you guys and I hope every one of you comes back! Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: First and foremost thanks go to all those of you who read and reviewed the last chapter (or started the story and added it to your "Alert" list)! I am extremely grateful to those of you who voiced your opinions and thought the chapter was well done. You guys make an author's world go round!

On to the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch. 4- Belonging

Despite feeling incredibly comfortable and completely at ease, Zuko felt himself rising in tandem with the sun outside the tent.

Heaving a defiant sigh, he pulled himself deeper into the warm body in his arms, content to lie there for the rest of the day.

And then his eyes snapped open.

Chocolate brown locks engulfed his vision. Said locks led to soft, tan skin, a delicate nose, and luscious, full lips. And further down…

Zuko felt a blush creep up his face as he remembered exactly how he and Katara had gotten into this situation. But he didn't pull away, didn't try and hide his exposed body. They had already given themselves to each other, why should he be ashamed?

And yet, a small ripple of fear ran through him.

What if she regretted it? What if she said it was all just a mistake and that she hadn't meant anything she had said last night? What if she didn't love him?

Before he could delve any further into that fearful train of thought, a content sigh from the girl in question brought him back to reality.

Looking back at the waterbender's face, Zuko felt the familiar flutter of pleasure as he took in her features once more. She looked slightly perturbed at having been shaken from her slumber, though she hadn't completely regained consciousness.

As she snuggled deeper into his embrace, Zuko couldn't contain the contented laugh that escaped his lips. And it was enough to jar her completely from her sleep.

Eyes blinking slowly open, Katara found herself lost in the affectionate amber gaze of the Fire Prince. And suddenly, it was hard to breathe.

"Hi," Zuko ventured softly, his hand tentatively brushing the hair from her face.

"H-hi," Katara responded, the blush on her own face letting the prince know she was recalling last night in full detail as well.

When she didn't say anything else, Zuko felt the fear of rejection returning in full force. This was the part he was dreading; he was going to lose another loved one again, all thanks to his inability to think things through and not go rushing into them! He didn't think he could handle losing her—she was too special.

Katara could see the turmoil in his golden eyes and she had to admit that she could relate. But as she remembered everything from last night—the tender exchange of words and declarations of love, as well as how he'd entrusted her with his feelings not to mention the passion they'd shared—she knew she didn't regret a single thing.

She kissed him softly, lovingly.

When she pulled away she gently took his face into her hands and rested her forehead on his, "I love you Zuko."

He couldn't stop the ecstatic smile the broke out across his face, nor did he want to.

Pulling her closer still, Zuko gave her a kiss that left her flushed and breathless, "I love you too Katara." The two went into a fit of euphoric laughter, smiling widely at each other and smothering the other in short, sweet kisses.

They would have continued like that for the rest of the day if they hadn't heard the distinct sounds of the camp beginning to wake up around them.

Sighing, Zuko looked into Katara's azure eyes, regret obvious on his face, "I guess I'd better get dressed and out of your tent before anyone discovers us like this, huh?"

The waterbender giggled, stifling her laughter with her hand in an effort to keep quiet, "Yeah, I guess you'd better. Wouldn't it be something if Sokka caught you in here?" Another laugh escaped her as Zuko got up to dress himself.

Pulling on his pants, the prince could only shake his head in amusement, "Oh I can imagine. It'd all be my fault of course, taking advantage of the poor, innocent waterbender!"

He threw on his shirt and pulled on his boots before looking back at her, his face serious, "How do we explain…_us_?"

Katara, who had by now put her garments back on, placed a calming hand on his cheek, "Don't worry about that. If people don't like it, they can just get over it and used to it. I don't care what they think, do you?"

Looking fondly at the woman before him Zuko shook his head, "No."

With a swift kiss Zuko moved toward the entrance of the tent before looking back at his—yes _his_—girlfriend, "Agni I love you."

The smile that lit up her face would stay with him for the rest of his life.

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On exiting the tent Zuko saw that he had left just in time. Coming his way was the blind earthbender, Toph, and she was looking right at him.

'_She can't see you idiot, she's _not _looking at you.'_

"Morning Sparky," she called, a grin on her face, "you wake Sugar Queen up yet?"

"Yeah," Zuko said, glad he had a reason to explain why he was leaving the waterbender's tent, "she wasn't very responsive, but she was coming to as I was leaving."

Toph let out a short laugh, "Yep, that sounds just like Sweetness alright. She always gets on our cases for being lazy and yet she can hardly pull her butt out of bed in the mornings. Hypocrite."

"What was that Toph?"

Zuko smirked as he saw Katara emerge from her tent, her hair brushed and clothes no longer rumpled, and glare at the pint-sized powerhouse.

Toph didn't even wince, having felt Katara in the first place, "You heard me Sweetness—hypocrite!" She walked off, laughing to herself on her way over to the campfire for breakfast.

Katara sighed and rolled her eyes before she turned to Zuko with a smile, "Hey there Sparky, long time no see."

Chuckling, the firebender walked over to her and gave her a peck on the lips, "Too long Sugar Queen, too long. Shall we get some breakfast?"

She seemed to be thinking it over seriously before her stomach answered for her. Sheepishly, she conceded, "We shall." Linking her hand with his, she led them towards the fire and to their first test as a couple.

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Despite thinking they were going to meet a massive resistance, Katara and Zuko's new relationship was met with relative indifference. It seemed that everyone had more important things to focus on than the coupling of the resident fire and waterbenders.

"Who do you think you are you backstabbing, traitorous, firebending scum?"

Well, everyone except Sokka of course.

His outburst earned him a sharp rap on the back of his head by Toph and a disapproving frown from his father.

"OW! Toph, what's your problem?" he asked, completely baffled as to why the small bender was siding with Zuko and his sister. He looked to his father, "You can't possibly approve of this dad! He's _fire nation_ for La's sake!"

This time Toph kicked the warrior in the shin eliciting another pathetic whimper, "Snoozles, if you say one more bad thing about Sparky I'm gonna give you what for, you hear me?"

"What? You actually like this arrogant jerk? He's the reason everything has gone down hill in the first place! If he hadn't've been so hell bent on restoring his damned honor, we wouldn't have even been on the Fire Nation's hit list! If it wasn't for him, Aang might still be _alive_!"

The silence that met Sokka's angry rant was tense and volatile; no one said anything but everyone was seething, the raw wounds reopening.

The sound of the earth shifting beneath their feet was the only warning they had before a stone pillar shot out and caught Sokka on the chin, knocking the shocked teen on his rear.

Everyone looked at Toph, whose fists were clenched in suppressed rage, "I warned you Meathead. You don't get to trash Zuko like that, _ever_!" She walked over to the fallen fighter and looked him straight in the eye, her sightless milky green ones causing Sokka to shiver at the anger in their depths, "Got it?"

He nodded, his own eyes wide. Satisfied, Toph turned away from him before pausing, as if she had remembered something.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot."

And she punched him dead in the face, her speed and accuracy leaving those around marveling at their supposedly blind companion. Walking over to Katara and Zuko she spoke, "Come on Sweetness, Sparky. Let's go for a swim or something." Turning to Hakoda she nodded, "Catch you later Chiefy!"

Zuko was completely nonplussed as to what had just happened. "Toph," he asked once they were out of earshot of Hakoda and Sokka, the latter of whom was getting a thorough telling off, "Not that I'm complaining or anything but…why did you defend me like that?"

Sighing Toph took a seat on the sandy shore and pulled her knees up to her chest, "It's just…well, in these last few days you've really grown on me Sparky," she gave him a small smile, "You…you don't treat me any differently than you do anyone else. The only time you even really noticed or cared that I was blind was when you first met me! Do you know how awesome that is?"

She got up, walking frantically to and fro over the sand, hands clenching and releasing, "For so long people have always thought that just because I was blind I couldn't take care of myself. It was always "let me get that for you you poor thing" or "do you need any help sweetie" and I eventually had to stop myself from retaliating."

She scrunched up her nose in frustration, "That's why I ran away from my family in the first place. They refused to let me do anything by myself and then tried to pass it off as love! All I wanted was to be myself, to _do _things myself!"

Despite her efforts, Toph could feel the tears start to fall and she brushed at them furiously, "But then I met all of you guys. And despite the rocky start Sweetness, I finally found out what love was supposed to be like and feel like.

"Katara," said waterbender started at hearing her actual name leave Toph's lips, "you're like…like the mother I always wanted. Annoying as hell, bossy, overbearing, and spoiled but loving, accepting, encouraging, and always there for me at the same time."

Katara, who had been scowling when the earthbender had begun, now had a watery smile on her face, a pleased flush lighting her cheeks.

"And Zuko," Toph started, "I know you haven't been with us for too long, but…you actually _listen_ to me! You're always there when I need someone to talk to and you don't judge me. I really can't tell you how much that means to me, especially with the way I grew up. You're the older brother that I never knew I needed but can't live without!"

Zuko was smiling again. That was one of the greatest compliments that he had ever received and he couldn't have been more pleased that Toph considered him her brother.

"But when people start trash talking my family or hurting them, I refuse to stand by and listen! That's why I got so mad when Sokka started going after you Sparky. I won't let anyone bad mouth my family especially now that I actually have a _real _one! And Aang…part of me feels like I failed him…failed my family—because I wasn't there to protect him. And now…h-he's—"

The small bender was shaking again, but this time with unhindered tears running down her face.

Instinctively, Zuko moved to engulf the small girl, his arms wrapping around her tiny frame as he knelt in front of her. Toph responded immediately, grabbing hold of Zuko's shirt and burying her face in his chest desperately as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Zuko frowned, looking to Katara with concern etched on his face. Moving to her worried boyfriend, Katara got on her knees as well, joining in on the hug.

They stayed there like that, Toph sniffling and shaking, and Katara and Zuko comforting her as best they could, until the earthbender's tears faded.

Finally, Toph pulled her head out of Zuko's chest and looked up at the couple, "Thanks you guys; I really needed that. Though now that you two are together I might have to start calling you Ma and Pa, huh?"

She smirked as Katara scowled, though it was rendered useless by the fact that the corners of her mouth were curving upward, but was laughing soon after as Zuko gave her a noogie, rubbing the top of her head roughly.

"You better learn to mind your elders Short Round," Zuko smirked, winking at Katara who didn't bother to hide her laughter at his nickname.

"What did you call me _Princess_?" Despite the nickname, Toph couldn't help but smile at the exchange. It felt good to finally escape the darkness of the last few days, if only for a little bit.

"You heard me Small Fry," the firebender laughed, falling back onto the sand and bringing Toph and Katara with him, eliciting shrieks from both girls that quickly dissolved into giggles.

"I don't say this enough," Zuko said as they calmed down, his arm around Katara and hers around him and Toph nestled in between both of them, "but I love you guys. I really do."

Katara smiled and turned to face him over Toph's head, "We know Zuko. We see it every time you offer to make tea for us after a hard day, or when you do all of the chores because you think you still need to prove yourself to us."

Toph picked up here, not even missing a beat, "Heck Sparky, I'm blind and even _I _can see that you really do mean well. You love us we love you—end of story. No need to get all _emotional_! Agni knows I've done enough for all of us today."

And Zuko smiled, content to lie there on the beach with the love of his life and the girl he saw as a little sister, and not worry about anything else for this one moment in time.

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A/N: Well there you go, a nice Zuko/Toph "sibling bonding" moment, which is a weakness of mine, coupled with some Katara/Toph "understanding where the other is coming from" sprinkles on the side! I had a lot of fun writing this because I think Toph deserves an older brother like Zuko and I _know_ Toph would beat the living hell out of anyone who tried to mess with those she cares about. In essence...Toph rocks. And I think Zuko deserves a _sane_ sister as well.

As always I love hearing from you guys and I want to know what you thought of the chapter. There's only one way for a writer to get better and that's through the use of the criticisms (both good and bad) they receive from their audience. Not to mention you guys are nothing if not honest! Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Hello again everybody, it's good to be back! I really can't tell you how much your reviews keep me going. Anyway, this chapter was an interesting venture, but I think it came out relatively fine.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch.5- Frozen Stiff

The next month went by in a blur for the members of the resistance.

Between running into a psychotic waterbender (who had almost singlehandedly killed them all before Katara had bested her using the older bender's patented technique), Sokka coming to a tentative acceptance of Katara and Zuko's relationship, the continued successful growth of said relationship, and the Fire Nation's acquisition of Ba Sing Se and the subsequent decree to eradicate the Water Tribes, plans had been changing rapidly and often amongst the small resistance force.

This last one was what had brought about the current argument between Katara, Sokka, and their father.

"NO!" Katara shouted, her eyes blazing as she met her father's matching orbs unblinkingly, "You can't leave us _again_! We've already lost so much, and now you want to split up? Just because you _think _we'll be safer?"

Hakoda sighed in exasperation, fingers working through his messy brown locks, "Katara, you have to see reason here: the Fire Nation has eliminated what they think was the only legitimate threat in their campaign to rule the world. And they're right! The Avatar was the last ray of hope that this world and its people had and he was the only thing keeping them from falling apart."

Pain flashed through the eyes of the occupants in the tent, but Hakoda pressed on, "I know it's hard to hear, but it's the truth. The only thing keeping the Fire Nation from destroying everything that we hold dear are those of us willing to fight. Therefore it is our responsibility to stay hidden, at least until we can mount a proper counter-attack. And to do that, we need all the allies we can get."

Katara growled angrily, refusing to accept her father's explanation, "How can you just keep running away from us? You have a responsibility to us," she cried gesturing at herself and Sokka, "as our _father_! You can't just keep putting this stupid war before you family! I…_we _need you too!"

With a frustrated scream, the livid bender stormed out of the tent and made her way out toward the shore, a concerned Zuko following swiftly after her from his place by the fire.

"Katara?" he queried when he caught up to her, his hand going around her waist and turning her toward him, "Katara what's the matter?" When he saw the trail of tears running down her face he frowned, desperately trying to wipe them all away, "What happened?"

She shook her head and dove into his chest in response, her arms going around him and holding on like her life depended on it. Her quaking shoulders and the wetness on his shirt made him all the more desperate to figure out what had his girlfriend in such a fright.

"Katara, baby, you want to tell me what's up?" His question was gentle and whispered as he placed a kiss atop her head, tightening his hold around her in an attempt to calm the waterbender.

With a deep, shuddering sigh Katara finally pulled her face away from his chest and looked him in the eye, "My…my father wants to split everyone up. He wants to leave _again_!"

She gripped his shirt tightly, her hands clenched into fists and her knuckles white, "How? How can the man who is supposed to always be there for me, for his _children_, just up and leave so many times? It's like he doesn't even care about us anymore!"

Zuko stared into her frantic eyes, the desperation he saw there causing his heart to constrict in agony.

"He says that we'll have a better chance if we…if we don't stay together. And I…I can't handle that right now Zuko, I _need_ my father!" She turned her tear stained face toward him, "is that wrong of me? To want my father to myself for once? Especially now when everything we've ever known is falling apart around us?"

Zuko was at a loss for what to say. How could he tell her that, personally, he agreed with Hakoda? What the man was suggesting was in fact the best course of action: it happened all the time in situations like this. When you were outnumbered and on the retreat, you needed to blend in and disappear. And the fewer people you had together, the less likely you were to be caught.

With a sigh, Zuko decided the best approach would be to tell her the truth, "Katara…I know you're going to hate me for this but…but I think your father is right." Before she could rip his head off, Zuko put a calming finger to her lips begging her indulgence, "Hear me out before you kill me Sweetness."

She glared at him for a few more seconds before letting out a resigned huff and nodding.

"In a war when your enemy is bearing down on you and you are forced to retreat, a smaller group is harder to track and less likely to be captured. And in our situation…Katara, the Fire Nation is killing anyone and _everyone_ associated with the Water Tribes. Your father isn't leaving you because he _wants _to…he's leaving because he _has_ to.

"As the chief of the Southern Water Tribe he's in a better position than we are to travel and gather allies while also giving us a kind of buffer from Azula and my father. If they catch wind of anything, it'll be your father's group they go after and not ours—not his children."

By now fresh tears were running down Katara's cheeks and Zuko quickly gathered her into his arms, "Katara your father is only doing this because he wants to keep you safe. He doesn't want either you or Sokka, or anyone else for that matter, to get hurt."

Here he heard her muffled argument, "B-but we're not kids anymore! We've been on our own for almost a year now and none of us are exactly pushovers!"

Zuko tenderly smoothed her chocolate locks, "Katara your father is doing this because he wants to spare the two of you from anymore hardship than is absolutely necessary. He loves you guys and he's willing to do anything to keep you out of harm's way."

Silence met his statement as the waterbender in his arms tightened her hold on him almost as if she was afraid she was going to lose him too.

"I love you Katara and I'll be by your side wherever you go, ok? So long as I live I swear to you that you'll never find yourself alone, I promise." When she finally pulled away from his chest, her eyes still held tears, but they were no longer falling.

"Ok. And I love you too Zuko." She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for an urgent kiss, pouring her whole being into this one brief moment.

A throat cleared behind them and the pair broke apart to see Hakoda and Sokka standing with arms crossed and, in the younger warrior's case, shifting around awkwardly.

The water tribe chieftain started forward, "Katara—"

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as the waterbender flung herself onto him, hugging him with all her might. "I'm sorry dad, I'm not trying to be difficult I just…I just don't want to lose you!"

Hakoda was taken aback at his daughter's complete turn around. He shot a grateful smile over her shoulder at Zuko before he squeezed his daughter back and then pulled his son into a group hug.

Zuko watched the scene with a feeling of longing; sometimes he really wished his father had been one of the kind and loving parents that he had met on his travels or that his Uncle was here right now. He swallowed thickly and turned away giving the family their privacy.

He made it a few dunes over when he felt a pair of small arms wrap around his neck and two feet wind their way over his waist.

_Dirty_ feet.

"Don't worry Sparky, you know Sugar Queen loves you. Besides, who needs their group hugs when you've got one from the greatest earthbender in the world?" Toph's chipper attitude was contagious and in seconds Zuko's gloomy face had a genuine smile on it.

"Come here Short Round," Zuko laughed as he pulled the small girl into his arms, "I can't hug you properly if you're hanging off my back now can I?"

"Nope, I guess not Higness!"

In a flash, Zuko had her by her sides and began tickling her mercilessly.

"AAHH! NO! Z-Zuko stop! I—haha…I don't, I don't like…haha…being TICKLED!"

The firebender paid no heed and continued his onslaught on the small earth kingdom noble eliciting shrieks of laughter, all the while wearing a devilish smirk on his face.

"Z-Zuko s-stop! I c-c-can't breathe!" Toph managed to squeak out in between fits of laughter, tears of mirth streaming out of her milky eyes and a bright grin on her face.

The prince chuckled loudly as he paused momentarily, "Not until you admit defeat Small Fry! Who's the master?"

"N-never! I'll never say it Princess! I'll never give in!" Toph wheezed out, desperately trying to fight her way out of Zuko's grasp.

"Hmm…your powers are great and you won't submit easily. I can fix that!" And once again Zuko's fingers flew all over Toph's sides and belly, easily garnering more squeals from the girl.

"Okay, okay I…I give! You win!" Toph managed, her breathing ragged and face flushed from all the laughing she had been doing, "You beat me today Sparky, but I swear I will have my vengeance upon you!"

Zuko let out another laugh at Toph's expense, "Yeah yeah Shorty whatever. I know you're all bark and no bite!"

The earth bender scowled, "All bark huh? I'll show _you_ all bark Sparkles!" Before the prince could stop her she flicked the ground beneath her and a small column of earth shot up and caught Zuko right in the groin immediately bringing the warrior to the floor, "How's _that_ for bite?"

"That…that's good." Zuko squeaked out, his voice not quite up to its usual gruff standards, "Remind me to…to n-never misjudge you again, ok? For my sake and the sake of any future children I might have."

"You got it Princy," Toph assured, before offering him a hand up, a satisfied smirk on her face, "besides, I think Sugar Queen'd be pretty upset if I killed off the father of her unborn child."

Zuko, who had been cleaning the dust off himself, froze.

"W-what did you say?"

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A/N: So we had some more sibling!bonding going on here with a bit of Water Tribe drama and some more Zutara sprinkles on top! Oh yeah...and Toph's revelation at the end of the chapter.

As always, I am open to your opinions and completely encourage any and all reviews! You guys rock and I really hope you enjoyed this one! Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I want to start off yet again with a great big "thank you" to all of you who are reading, reviewing, and otherwise enjoying this story. Having said that, I want to say that there was a reason for my delay in updates, but I'll get to that at the end of the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch. 6-Gravity

Zuko stood motionless staring at Toph with a horrified expression on his face. "W-what did you say Toph?" he reiterated trying desperately to keep his voice steady in the hopes that he had heard wrong.

Toph didn't even flinch, "I said Katara would probably be really ticked if I killed the father of her—" it seemed things had finally clicked in the small bender's head, "Ah…I take it neither of you knew. Umm…well…SURPRISE!"

Zuko didn't laugh, he didn't cry, he didn't run…he didn't move at all. After a few seconds of awkward silence (mostly for the firebender) he managed to ask a question, "How?"

Toph sniggered and arched an eyebrow. "Not the most articulate of questions Sparky, but I get your drift. Although, I _am_ surprised you have to ask; you see, when a boy and a girl _really_ like each other—"

"TOPH!" the prince barked as he face palmed, "I love you like a sister I really do, but I'm going to _kill_ you if you even _think_ about finishing that sentence."

"Sorry," Toph whispered, her eyes darting to the ground.

Sighing, Zuko knelt in front of the blind girl, "I'm sorry Toph, I didn't mean to snap at you it's just…in _this_ particular situation I fail to see the humor, you know? Now if it were Sokka and you…well that'd be hilarious!"

Toph growled at him and gave him a punch in the gut, which served to shut him up. "Enough about me and Snoozles Zuko. What about you and Katara? What were you guys thinking anyway?"

"To be honest we weren't really thinking anything," Zuko paused, a small grimace crossing his face, "It was a few weeks after Aang…and well, she was completely torn up about it. She was convinced that it was all her fault; that she should have been able to save Aang and she was even against letting herself laugh and…" he trailed off here as a soft smile broke out on his face.

"Yeah, you can stop there Sparky, I think I know where it went from there. Actually, I know _exactly_ where it went from there, you two kept me up the whole time!"

Zuko blanched at her statement, "Um…uh…what?"

Toph shook her head, "I see through the earth remember? Vibrations?"

"Oh dear Agni…I'm sorry about that Toph I didn't—"

"Save it Princy, I don't care anymore. It's over and done with. I'd just appreciate it if you two waited until I was out of range next time."

"Of course Short Round."

"Zuko," the small bender started, "Your not going to up and leave now, right? You won't leave Katara all on her own with a child will you?"

Concerned, the firebender looked Toph right in the eyes, "Toph…I know that things just kind of…happened, but I love Katara and there is no way that I would abandon her! Even if the whole damned world was ending I still wouldn't leave her alone."

The conviction in his voice, and the fact that she was a human lie detector, was all Toph needed to believe her brother in everything but blood. "Good, just…just making sure."

Zuko smirked, "And even if this crazy situation wouldn't have happened, there's no way I'd leave my little sister behind."

A bright smile lit up the earthbender's face as she threw her arms around his neck, a few tears running down her face. "You rock big brother!"

Chuckling, Zuko whispered, "Besides, who'd help you get things you couldn't reach if I wasn't here—OW!"

Another punch to the gut had quieted his teasing.

Now it was Toph smirking, "Don't let your new status go to your head Sparky. I still know how to keep you in line."

An awkward silence fell then as soon as Zuko had gotten back to his feet, "Toph…I have absolutely no idea what to do. Well I mean….I know what I _should_ do but…how?"

"Sparky you are asking the _worst_ person for the job," Toph groaned, "I have a hard time censoring every day conversation, you think _I'm _going to be able to figure this out for you?"

"I know, I _know_!" Zuko growled rubbing his temples in frustration, "I'm sorry I just…Agni this is _not_ how things were supposed to go!"

The snort he received from the earthbender brought a scowl to his face, "How were things _supposed_ to happen Highness? You two didn't exactly "court" in the most proper of fashions. From what I could tell, and what the _vibrations_ showed me, it was kinda…intense. You two went from point A to point Z in a matter of minutes."

Zuko felt a hot flush creep its way up his neck at Toph's words, "I know that Metal Head, I was _there_! What I meant was that Katara and I, while I don't regret a single thing that has happened in the last month, should have been able to ease into the thought of children _after_ we figured out how the hell we were going to deal with my psychotic family not bring one into a world where nothing but horror most likely awaits!"

This seemed to quell the blind girl's taunts and she heaved a defeated sigh, "Zuko I don't know what you want me to say. I think you should tell Katara—the sooner the better—because if you don't there is gonna be unholy hell to pay. And then the two of you need to figure out how to tell Snoozles and Chiefy," she paused for a moment, a look of deep thought on her face, "_without_ bodily harm being inflicted on you in the process."

His already pale features became ghostly white as the prince blanched. He had absolutely no desire to inform Sokka _or_ Hakoda that he had gotten Katara pregnant out of wedlock. The line between bravery and insanity was extremely fine and, although he might have toyed with it on occasion, it seemed to the firebender that only his premature demise would come from _that_ confrontation.

"Suddenly," he gulped, "things have gone from bad to worse Sis. I…I can't even…I mean what—what can I say? W-what do…what do I do?"

Even if Toph hadn't been a blind earthbender with the ability to tune into a person's heartbeat she would have been able to tell that Zuko was on the brink of losing it.

"Hey Sparky settle down!" she barked rapidly blinking her sightless eyes and shaking her head violently to try and clear it, "Your heart is beating so fast I can't feel anything else! Geez you'll probably kill yourself from a panic attack before you get to tell Sugar Queen about it!"

"Tell me about what?"

For a minute there was nothing but dead silence. Zuko's heart had stopped and his eyes grew wide, Toph stood with her mouth agape and a dumbfounded look on her face, and Katara's eyes were darting back and forth suspiciously between the two.

"I'll uh…I'll just leave you to it then Sparky," Toph squeaked slowly stepping away from the inevitable confrontation. She stopped just as she was about to vanish over the small hill.

"Hotman? Good luck."

And just like that Katara and Zuko were alone on the beach, the waves lapping silently at their feet.

"Zuko?" Katara whispered softly, a hundred different questions being asked all at once, "What was Toph talking about?"

The prince swallowed nervously and tried desperately to wipe his sweaty palms clean. This was _not_ how he'd imagined this conversation going; maybe after he'd wrapped his head around the idea a little better, gotten to plan out his ingenious approach at telling his girlfriend she was with child. But not like this.

"You're pregnant."

And _definitely_ not like _that_!

'_Oh dear _Agni_ why did that just come out? What did I do to deserve that little moment of word vomit? Honestly…not even a little preamble: 'Katara you may want to sit down'? I just want to vanish right now, just completely disappear…dammit.'_

Katara looked at him in confusion for a moment before comprehension dawned on her face, "I keep forgetting that Toph hears and sees things that we don't." She laughed lightly, "And here I was hoping to break the news to you gently."

He didn't know what kind of reaction he'd been expecting from the waterbender but calm acceptance with a side of humor had not been one of them.

Zuko knew his face must have looked ridiculous as Katara let out a full-fledged laugh before stifling it with a delicate hand, "I'm sorry Zuko but utter bewilderment is clearly not your look."

Somehow managing to regain his motor functions, Zuko croaked, "You…you _know_?"

She nodded slowly taking a step closer to him, "Yes."

"B-but how…Toph only found out about it recently and…and I…I…" his question died on his lips as Katara took his hand gently.

"Ever since that run in with Hama, when I inadvertently learned how to bloodbend, I've become a lot more intimately aware of my body and everything that's going on within it."

She paused briefly to take his other hand in hers, "It's a subconscious thing most of the time, when it's my own body at least. If I concentrate enough I can get a reading on others but…anyway it came as a bit of a shock when I woke up one day and felt _two_ hearts beating inside of me.

"And I've been meaning to tell you Zuko, I really have, but I was just so afraid! I didn't know how you would react to the fact that your girlfriend of one month was pregnant and…and I was scared of rejection."

Her explanation came to an end and she turned away trying desperately to hide the tears that were running down her face.

Zuko stood frozen as Katara finished, still finding it hard to believe that she had known she was pregnant and that she wasn't trying to kill him. Slowly, tenderly he put a finger under her chin and turned her head to look her in the eye.

They stayed like that, just staring deep into the other's eyes, as everything seemed to settle in their minds.

And then he kissed her softly.

Pulling away slightly, Zuko rested his forehead against Katara's, "I love you Katara. I do. I'm going to be here for you every step of the way. I am not going _anywhere_ understand? "

Her eyes shone with unshed tears at his words, a beautiful smile lighting her face as she nodded. She sniffed quietly, "I do. I love you too Zuko."

Katara wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly and breathing in his scent. As she nuzzled into his neck she sighed in content; she knew she could stay in his embrace for the rest of her life.

Zuko kissed her forehead before resting his chin atop her head. They stood in a loving silence before he spoke.

"So what do we name it?"

Katara smacked his arm and giggled, "Zuko _please_ don't refer to our child as an 'it'."

"Well how else am I supposed to refer to the kid? I can't exactly say "our child" all the time, can I?"

The waterbender pouted cutely, "Yes you can! Doesn't just saying that make you feel unbelievably happy? Like you're just going to burst with joy?"

A small smile made its way onto Zuko's as he thought about it, "You know…it does. It really does. _Our_ child." He shivered, "I think I just got happy chills."

"See?" Katara teased, poking her tongue out at him, "It does feel good. Now, as to what we're going to name _our_ child I think we should wait until we know the sex that way we're not constantly going from male to female."

Now it was Zuko's turn to pout, "Where's the fun in that? I think the fact that we don't know the sex just makes it that much more special. We can think of any name we want, narrow it down to the ones we love and then, when _our_ child is born we'll have the perfect name ready to go boy _or _girl."

Katara blinked, "That…that actually makes a lot of sense."

The prince snorted, "I actually tend to make a lot of sense. People just never seem to want to listen to my reasoning."

Biting her lip to keep in the laugh that was bubbling to the surface, Katara kissed him again, "Come on _hot_ man, let's get back to camp and think up some names for _our_ child."

Lacing their fingers together, the two turned to walk back only to come face to face with Hakoda, his arms crossed and eyes boring into both of them.

"Do either of you two care to explain _your_ child?"

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A/N: There's another chapter ladies and gentlemen! Now, my explanation regarding the delay! For the past three days I've been working a choir camp at my old high school that ran all day long, so I didn't really have too much time to write. BUT that was only a small part of it: the real delay came by way of a review I got that sparked a whole different way for me to see this fic.

The review referenced the "psychotic bloodbender" paragraph in the last chapter and whether or not there was going to be an explanation as to how the group encountered her. Well that got me thinking and thinking got me writing and I lost track of time while creating that little side story as well as spawning the potential for several others that are connected with this story.

Now I'm just stuck on exactly how to get you guys those stories. Thoughts? Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I _sorry_! Things have been crazy this past week and I've been all over the place because of it. A music convention, birthday parties, lack of internet access, and Zutara week have made this update so late. And the Hama side story...but I digress.

I want to thank you all for reviewing, adding, and reading this story as it means a lot to me. I've officially passed my review record so that makes each and every one of you (and your reviews) all the more special. Thanks guys!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch. 8- Acceptance

Nothing but sheer terror ran across Zuko's face and through his mind at the sight of the Water Tribe chieftan. This couldn't be happening, not after he had just avoided this very situation with Katara.

'_This is it,'_ Zuko thought with a slight whimper, _'I'm going to die on this beach at the hands of my girlfriend's father. This is _not_ how I imagined I was going to go out.'_

"I'll ask again," said Hakoda, fire burning deep in his cerulean eyes, "Would either of you care to explain?"

Katara was at a loss for words as she looked over to her boyfriend, panic evident in her eyes, hoping to find some sort of reassurance. When she saw the same look mirrored on his face she knew things were bad.

Zuko swallowed when he saw Hakoda's eyes narrow even further. He let out a shaky breath and decided to accept his fate.

"Chief Hakoda," he squeaked, voice breaking, "Katara and I…that is she…well we're together—but you already knew that. Um…what you didn't know is…is that w-we love each other and sometimes, uh, when two…when two people love each other…they uh, they have a…they um…t-t-they have a baby!"

As soon as he finished his explanation he closed his eyes and braced himself for the beating of a lifetime.

The chief blinked, a bewildered expression on his face as he tried to gather some meaning from the prince's stuttered explanation. Seconds later, Hakoda could only stare with his mouth agape.

"Dad?" Katara chanced after a minute, hoping that his silence was a sign that he wasn't going to blow up.

This seemed to wake the man up as he turned his disbelieving gaze onto his daughter, "Y-you're _pregnant_?"

Katara seemed to shrink into herself and Zuko felt her clench his hand tightly. He could feel her pulse quicken as she looked anywhere but into her father's accusing stare.

"Katara…out of all the irresponsible things you could have possibly done…" Hakoda mumbled softly still struggling to believe what he'd been told, "out of all the foolish, idiotic, careless, _stupid_ things you could have _possibly_ done you got _pregnant?_"

There was an angry flush to his face now but Hakoda seemed determined to keep his emotions in check a fact which both teens were grateful for.

"You two haven't even been together for more than a month and…Katara you're _fifteen_ for La's sake what were you thinking?" He rounded on Zuko and the firebender flinched at the intensity of the glare being sent his way, "And _you _prince! I had come to expect better of you than this! I had even begun to _trust_ you with my daughter's safety and then…and _then_ I come to find out that you've gotten her _pregnant_!"

He let out a frustrated growl and put his face in his hands, "I don't think I've _ever_ been more disappointed in someone than I am with you right now Zuko. Taking advantage of my daughter's emotional state so soon after the death of the Avatar is nothing short of despicable. "Here I was beginning to think you were nothing like your father but…I see no difference."

Zuko tensed as his temper flared and steam began rising from his body.

"_DAD!" _Katara gasped in shock.

"Do _not_ speak right now Katara. You forfeited that right when you broke my trust and conceived a child out of wedlock! The only thing keeping me from being completely disappointed in you is the fact that you were vulnerable at the time," he didn't seem to notice the tears that were coursing down his daughter's face, "I have half a mind to _leave_ you here to fend for yourself after what you've done!"

That did it.

"Stop it," Zuko snarled dangerously, his face set in a deadly scowl, "don't you _dare_ speak to Katara like that!"

Hakoda stopped cold, his furious glare snapping to the fire prince, "What did you say?"

"I told you to shut up," Zuko growled, his free hand clenched tightly and his eyes blazing in undisguised rage, "_Don't_ talk to Katara like that. She doesn't deserve it and I sure as hell won't stand for it."

"Just where do you get off thinking that you have any sort of right to talk to me like that prince? It's because of _you_ that she's with child!" Hakoda barked back, his own temper flaring.

"No Dad," Katara hissed, "this isn't just Zuko's fault—it takes _two_ to "tango" as you so eloquently put it years ago. I'm just as much to blame. And you know what? There's nothing you can do to change it!"

Here the chief fell silent, his furious gaze darting back and forth between the two teenagers in front of him.

"Chief Hakoda," Zuko began, desperately trying to reign in his temper, "I realize that allowing your daughter and I to date was hard for you. I understand why you're angry now: you see what we've done as a betrayal. And I think I know exactly why you're so angry. You think I'm going to leave Katara once I figure out we've made a mistake."

The chief's eyes widened slightly, but he covered it up quickly. Katara looked to her boyfriend with a raised brow waiting to see what he said next.

The fire nation outcast turned to face his waterbender, gently taking her hand in his, "I have to say the thought of having a child so young is…scary, to say the least especially given the state of the world now. And leaving would definitely be the easy way out," here he gave the girl a soft smile and kissed her hand before turning back to Hakoda, "but I've never been one to take the easy way out. Especially with something I _knew_ could happen."

There was a tense silence after Zuko's statement as he and Hakoda locked eyes, the latter trying to discern any sort of dishonesty from the firebender.

Their stare off continued for so long that eventually Katara, who had been waiting with baited breath for the first few minutes, gave a loud huff of annoyance and muttered something about men and their egos. It was enough to break the contest between the two males.

The water tribe chief spoke first, "Zuko do you swear that you will take care of my daughter, love her, and cherish her for the rest of your days? That, so long as there is breath in your body, you will do anything to protect her and your eventual child from harm?"

Zuko didn't hesitate, "I do."

The older man quirked a brow at the response but let it go. Turning to his daughter he asked, "And do you Katara?"

"I do." The waterbender responded, giving her boyfriend's hand a squeeze.

Hakoda let out a resigned sigh, "I'm still not happy about this and I _am_ extremely disappointed in both of you. You'll both have to work to gain back my trust but, seeing as there really is no way to get around it, I think I can get used to the idea of being a grandpa." He gave them a small smile, "You'll hate me in the coming months but you have my support should you need it."

Katara sniffed, "Thank you Daddy!" And then proceeded to launch herself into his waiting arms. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before pulling away. "Wait," she said looking into her father's eyes, "you said that we'd hate you in the coming months…does…does that mean that you're not leaving?"

Her father smiled and nodded, "Before this came up, I wasn't too worried about you going off on your own—you only had yourselves to look after and that was it. But now…well what kind of father would I be if I wasn't there for my only daughter to help her through her pregnancy?"

Eyes watering and unable to come up with a coherent response, Katara buried her herself again into her father's embrace. "Thank you Daddy," she repeated, though this time it was muffled.

"I love you Katara." He said as he hugged her tight.

"Love you too." Came the mumbled response.

Zuko waited for Katara to compose herself and move away from her father before he approached the chief, "Thank you for giving me…_us_ a chance. It means a lot to me and I know it means the world to Katara."

Hakoda smiled and clapped the bender on the shoulder, "Despite what I said in the heat of the moment I know that you're a good man Zuko. I've seen how you treat the others, even after the whole Sokka debacle, and it does nothing but reassure me that you'll take good care of my daughter."

Zuko could feel himself getting choked up and had to clear his throat in order to respond, "T-thank you Chief Hakoda."

The chieftain put one arm around both the teens and turned back to camp, "Now let's get back to camp before they send anyone else out looking for you two."

There was a brief pause before he spoke again, "I wonder how your brother is going to take this."

Katara winced and knew Zuko had as well, "Can we just…NOT tell him? I don't know if he'd be as forgiving as you Dad."

"I think," Zuko began, "that it would be better if we told him. He'd have to get over it eventually, right?"

Hakoda snorted at that, "Obviously you don't know my son that well."

"Dad, be nice!" Katara scolded playfully.

"Well it's true Katara, you know that. Remember the time when he asked where baby sea lions came from and your grandmother said that the "stork" brought them late at night?"

Katara let out her own snort of amusement, "And one night he snuck out of the igloo and waited by the pack of sea lions for the stork to bring the babies and then saw a live birth!"

Now it was Zuko's turn to laugh. Just the thought of a poor, innocent, naïve Sokka experiencing the miracle of life first hand was hilarious.

"He refused to talk to Gran-Gran for _weeks_," Katara continued, "and he didn't believe anything she told him for the next three months!"

"So you see," Hakoda chuckled, "I think it's best if we refrain from telling him too soon. Maybe you two could figure out a way to ease him into the thought of accepting a potential child between the two of you. Then after that's been established you could tell Sokka."

There was silence as they walked over the last hill. Then a voice spoke.

"Tell Sokka what?"

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A/N: I really like ending like that. But don't worry, the next one should be different. You guys know I worship each individual review so...yeah. Any kind of feedback is appreciated. Again I'm sorry about the delay, but sometimes life just gets in the way. Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Okay guys I have a confession to make. I've been horrible these last few days in updating this story, but it's not for lack of interest, I just kept hitting rough patches with the story line that made me go a little crazy. But I think I've gotten over it, for the most part, and I have an extra long chapter here for you as a way to say "sorry for taking so long".

That being said, I love you guys for all the support, reviews, adds, and alerts. If I had you guys constantly reviewing my life maybe I'd be more prone to getting things done...

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch. 9- Revelations

As the three caught sight of the voice's owner their eyes widened in shock and, in Zuko's case, disbelief.

"Oh you have _got _to be kidding me." Zuko groaned under his breath as he slapped his palm to his face in exasperation, "Fate can't hate me _that_ much."

There before them stood Sokka in all his elegant glory: his hair was loose but much of it was still mussed from sleep, in his mouth hung a strip of seal jerky and both of his hands wrapped around a large collection of fire wood. He stared at the trio before him, slowly chewing on his jerky, and seemed to take in their positions.

"I missed something, didn't I?"

Katara glanced at her father, who looked to Zuko, who still had his face in his hands, before they both burst out laughing. This prompted Zuko to lift his head out of his hands and look at the two of them like they were insane.

"Yup," Sokka continued, tearing off a chunk of jerky before turning back to camp and leaving the three behind, "Definitely missed something."

As soon as he was out of earshot, Zuko let out a relieved sigh, "I don't know _how_ you did it, I don't understand the _reasoning_ behind it, but that could have gone _very _wrong."

The two water tribe members were still laughing, though they had managed to quell the raucous laughter of moments before.

"I don't really see what's so funny by the way. If he hadn't decided to just leave things like that he could have made one hell of a scene." Zuko scowled, crossing his arms at the father and daughter before him.

Katara got a hold of herself first, "Sorry Zuko it's just that well, he really _did_ miss something. He was, for once, completely right with his question."

Hakoda chuckled once more, "You see Zuko while my son may be a good strategist and dedicated warrior, he's never really been one for catching on to things. So it's funny when he does but doesn't seem to care."

Zuko cocked a brow, "Still, that was too close for comfort. As far as I know, the three of us and Toph are the only ones who know about our little _situation_ and if Sokka had found out the whole _camp _would have known before we even got _back_."

That seemed to sober the two up.

Sighing Hakoda conceded, "You're right Zuko. And then things would really have gotten out of control."

Katara crossed over to her boyfriend and clasped his hand, "Sorry Hotman." She kissed him quickly, aware of her father's slightly put off expression and then dragged Zuko towards the camp site, "Now come on: I'm _starving_!"

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During dinner that night, Chief Hakoda had made the announcement that he planned to remain with his children and their friends so that he could help them find a place to hide from the Fire Nation. His reasoning was sound: being present would allow him to know the location without running the risk of a message being intercepted.

Everyone seemed to take this in stride before Sokka spoke up, "But Dad you never knew where we were before all this happened, what's different now?"

Zuko felt himself tense up, but Katara's gentle hand on his back slowly soothed his worries away.

Hakoda took the question in stride, "You're right Sokka, I _didn't_ know where you were. But that didn't mean that I wasn't worried the whole time. But that was because I didn't really have a choice—I was off fighting in the war for years and had no idea you'd even left. Now though, I have a chance to make sure you're safe before I head out again."

Having not expected his father's admission, which was accompanied by a few tears, Sokka could only nod in silence, his own eyes moist.

From there the rest of the meeting went off without a hitch. The water tribe warriors would take the ship and head to Kyoshi Island and see what had become of the warrior populace there and determine whether or not they could recruit fighters.

The Duke, Pipsqueak, Haru, Teo and the Mechanist, who had just recently come back from a food run in the closest town—which was a good three day trip both ways—were slated to make their way to Ba Sing Se where they would be able to easily blend in with the population, even with the turn in regime, and keep an eye out on any Fire Nation activity within the walls and, hopefully, get in touch with the Freedom Fighters.

And finally Katara, Toph, Sokka, Zuko and Hakoda would travel to the Western Air Temple by way of the Fire Nation. Once they reached the northern shore of fire territory they would meet Appa, whose job was to fly his way _around_ the capitol, and take off to the former home of the air nomads. The travel plans for their group were the result of Sokka's…_intriguing _way of thinking.

"The closer we are to danger, the farther we are from harm."

Of course the statement had been met with disbelieving stares and vehement protests, the latter of which came from Katara and Zuko.

"You realize of course Sokka," Zuko growled as he rubbed at his eyes furiously, "that unless I have a mask on my face I'll be the first one to give us away?"

Here the prince received a sharp rap on his head courtesy of the waterbender at his side, "Zuko, you don't have your scar anymore remember? Which means that now you're the person who's _least_ likely to draw attention!"

Zuko blinked as her words set in and put his hand up to his face again feeling the spot where his scar had been to find nothing but smooth skin. He stopped for a moment, unaccustomed to the texture before his lips twitched in a weak smile, "Huh…I guess I just don't realize that there's nothing there anymore. I mean…after so long with it on my face…"

Sokka rolled his eyes dramatically, put out that his carefully constructed explanation had been interrupted, "Yes yes there's no more scar we get it. Can I finish no—OW! Toph what was _that_ _one_ for?" he cried, rubbing a spot on his forehead that was quickly turning an angry red.

The blind earthbender smirked, tossing another pebble back and forth between her hands menacingly, "For being so inconsiderate to Sparky Snoozles. After all this time you still haven't developed any sense of tact."

"It's alright Toph," Zuko laughed, "I don't mind."

"Buuuuuuuut," Toph drawled, "I _do_! So nix the attitude Jerky Boy or I'll have to beat you up again!"

As the sniggers echoed around the room Sokka sulked, "You did _not_ "beat me up"! You caught me by surprise and hit _below_ the belt. That's gotta be against the rules."

"As enlightening as this conversation is," Hakoda interrupted before anyone else could speak, "I believe we were discussing the pros and cons of your decision to travel through the heart of the Fire Nation."

And so things got back on track once more.

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An hour later found the group of teens exiting Hakoda's tent after the end of the briefing. The sun was setting behind the horizon and the temperature had fallen ever so slightly.

Stretching his arms and letting out a tired yawn, Sokka bid the others goodnight and headed for his tent.

"You know," Toph sighed, "I think something's seriously wrong with Snoozles."

Katara furrowed her brow in concern, "What do you mean Toph? He seems fine to me…well aside from his constant jabs at Zuko that is."

Toph nodded, "That's exactly what I mean Sweetness. Whenever he's with others his attitude is relatively easy to handle but when he's around Zuko or by himself his heart rate shoots up and he gets really tense…almost like he's getting ready to explode."

A heavy silence seemed to settle over the trio before Zuko spoke up. His face gave away nothing but concern was evident in his voice, "Is there anything that we can do to…you know…help him?"

The blind girl shrugged her shoulders, "Not to sound rude or anything Sparky, but I think you're part of the problem actually. I'm telling you he feels…_dangerous_ when he's around you." Toph shivered, rubbing at her arms to try and warm herself up.

Zuko layed a hand on her shoulder, "Let me help you there Short Round." He inhaled deeply before exhaling slowly, letting the flames within him flow through his hand and gently caress the earthbender in a soft embrace.

"Ah…thanks Princess."

Katara giggled at the byplay, eliciting a smile from Zuko. She shook her head at the two, "So I guess what you're trying to say is that _I _should talk to my brother, right Toph?"

"Got it in one Sugar Queen! I'd talk to him myself but…well, I tend to be a little, ah, _insensitive_ when it comes to things like this."

Zuko caught Katara's eye and they both smirked at the same time.

"You're not _always_ insensitive Toph," Katara said nonchalantly.

"Yeah," Zuko continued, "In fact, I seem to recall a recent—"

A swift elbow to the stomach effectively silenced him, "If you know what's good for you Princey, you won't bring up that conversation ever again, you hear me?"

"Always with the physical violence," the firebender grumbled, rubbing a hand over the wound, "I should tickle you for that."

Toph grimaced when Katara gasped, "Toph's _ticklish_?"

"I'm going to give you five seconds to run Sparky and then I'm going to unleash unholy hell on your firebending butt. Five, four, three, two—"

Before the girl reached 'one' she heard the telltale sign of scampering feet and a satisfying squeak of fright. Smirking she turned to face Katara, "Sweetness, if you know what's good for _you_ I'd suggest forgetting what you just heard, ok?"

The waterbender nodded trying to stifle her bubbling laughter.

"Now if you'll excuse me, there's a loudmouthed firebender waiting to get a beating."

Katara watched as the earthbending master sped off after Zuko, a fond smile playing on her face. Then she sighed, her concern for her brother's wellbeing nagging at her until she made her way towards his tent.

"Sokka?" she called softly, not sure whether or not her sibling was awake, "are you still up?"

No answer met her query, but there was a quiet rustling from inside before the flap of her brother's tent was flipped up, granting her entrance.

Thanks to the setting sun outside there was still enough light within the tent to see her brother's face. There was no smile, no trace of the carefree exuberance that was usually Sokka's forte. His face was drawn and thin and—now that she took a good look—there were dark circles under his eyes.

And his eyes…

Katara gasped as she saw the haunted and dead look in his eyes. How had she not seen this? How had her brother come to this state without her having noticed?

"Sokka?" he didn't respond to her, just continued to lie on his back and stare up at the roof of his tent. She sat down next to him and tried again, "Sokka what's wrong with you? Toph says you've been acting differently when we're not around you and that you've been brooding. Not to mention the fact that almost every time you've been in close contact with Zuko you're liable to explode. What's the matter? What happened to you Sokka?"

She was met with nothing but silence again. Her brother hadn't so much as flinched when she mentioned his behavior and she was getting ready to ask again when he spoke. His voice was soft and broken so drastic in comparison to just an hour ago when he was speaking in front of the entire congregation of rebels.

"Suki."

Katara blinked, not sure if she heard him right, "Suki? What about Suki?"

He swallowed thickly and blinked rapidly, as if keeping tears at bay, "Azula and her cronies were posing as Kyoshi warriors in Ba Sing Se, right? Well, I didn't see Suki again before we left because of all the…chaos that Aang's death set into motion. And I think…I think they have her Katara, I think they have Suki!"

He took in a shallow breath, though it did nothing to stem the flow of tears that were now running freely down his face, and sat up abruptly his fists clenched in rage, "They have Suki and I have absolutely no idea where they would be holding her so I can't do anything about it! I've been pouring over all of the maps and intel that dad and the others have collected and I can't come up with a damn _thing_!

"You want to know what's wrong with me? Why I'm "brooding" and why I feel like killing Zuko every time I see him? It's because I'm scared out of my mind for Suki, Katara. I'm falling apart at the seams because I can't manage to find a single _shred_ of information having to do with prisoners of war, I'm _brooding_ because the Fire Nation issued a decree condemning anyone—man, woman, or child—to death if they've associated with Water Tribe citizens and Azula _knows_ that Suki's helped us before.

"And Zuko? I want to kill him because every time I see his face, every time I look into those eyes I see his sister's maniacal ones staring right back at me! I see the unquenchable bloodlust right before she attacked us in Ba Sing Se, and I see someone so completely bent on causing chaos and destruction to innocent civilians that it takes everything I have _not_ to run him through with a sword because sometimes I can't tell the difference between the two!"

Katara could only gape at her brother in shock. Again she asked herself how she had missed all of this. How had she not noticed her own brother falling deeper and deeper into depression?

"Sokka…"

"But then," Sokka cut in, "then I see how happy he makes you. I see more and more of the old Katara coming back each day and I find myself thinking that there's no way that I could possibly repay him for what he's done for you." He shook his head as he sighed deeply, "I don't hate him Katara I just…I can't see him right now without thinking about his sister and what she could be doing to Suki…or what she's done _already_."

"Oh Sokka I had…I had no idea," she scooted closer to her brother and wrapped her arms around him as her own tears began cascading down her cheeks, "I'm so so sorry! I should have been there for you but I've been…I-I—"

"Katara don't worry about it. I didn't exactly come seek you out for comfort or anything. I realize that your relationship with Zuko is something fresh and new and I can respect that. I'm not holding anything against either of you. I've actually been talking to dad about everything and…well…he's helped me, a lot."

This information surprised Katara at first, but she guessed going to their father had been the only option Sokka had seen with her constantly occupied with Zuko and Toph for the past few weeks.

"He said he'd do everything he could to help me find her. I _need_ to find her or find out what's become of her…I need closure Katara. I've prayed every day since we left Ba Sing Se that she be kept safe or at least alive but I…I love her Katara and I don't want to stand by and wait for something to happen to her! I can't do that…not again."

Katara hugged her brother tighter as she remembered Yue, Sokka's last love interest. She'd sacrificed herself to save her home and her tribe from destruction at the hands of the Fire Nation.

"I think," Katara started, "that you should talk to Zuko about this. He's from the Fire Nation Sokka," she hurried, trying to explain before he shut out her suggestion completely, "and he's the _prince_! He probably knows more than you'd think about where prisoners would be kept, even if it were for interrogation." When he didn't look convinced, she let out an exasperated sigh, "If you really want to get _anywhere_ in this search, you're going to have to talk to him, especially if you want to save Suki!"

That did it.

Closing his eyes and swallowing, Sokka pulled away from his sister, "You're right. I'll…I'll go talk to him right now. It's worth a shot, right? For Suki…"

He stood from her embrace and left the tent, leaving his sister to dry her eyes and pray that everything would work out for her brother. She didn't want to see what would become of him if he lost Suki as well.

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Despite his sister's assurances that Zuko would be able to help him, Sokka couldn't help but remain skeptical the entire walk over to the prince's tent. It wasn't that he doubted Zuko had the knowledge—it was a given with who his father was—it was whether or not he would share it with him due to his recent behavior.

After nearly every confrontation with Zuko that resulted in a storm out, Sokka found himself regretting it. The Fire Nation royal really didn't deserve any of it and had every right to be a stubborn ass to Sokka if he so chose.

Having made it to the older boy's tent Sokka took a moment to gather himself and try and mentally prepare for the conversation ahead.

First and foremost Sokka would have to establish that he wanted to have a civil conversation with Zuko and make sure that he was listening. Second, he had to make sure that he kept his temper in check: Zuko was renowned for his ability to go from completely passive to stark raving mad in seconds flat and the two of them—angry and together in the same tent—would only result in unnecessary violence. And finally the third thing: he had to be able to separate Zuko from Azula and realize that Zuko was their ally, past history aside.

Now focused on the task at hand, Sokka heard voices coming from inside the tent, Toph's witty banter being fended off expertly by Zuko's dry sense of humor. Taking a nervous breath he spoke, "Hey umm…Zuko? It's Sokka…uhh are you…um I mean…can we…talk?"

'_Not exactly eloquent, but it'll do.'_ He thought.

There was a slight pause from inside as if the occupants of the tent were frozen in shock. _'Which they probably are.'_ Sokka guessed.

The flap of the tent was pushed back moments later and Toph stepped out, her sightless eyes narrowed in suspicion at the boy who had made her "brother's" life unnecessarily hard the past month.

"Listen to me Snoozles," she growled poking a finger into his chest, "I figure you need to talk to Sparky alone and I can respect that so I'm going to get out of your hair. _But_," she warned looking up and staring straight into his eyes, "if you so much as insult him _again_ I will kick your scrawny butt from here to the North Pole, you got me?"

Taking an involuntary gulp he nodded, "Y-yeah I got it Toph and…and I don't intend to start anything."

Still keeping her eyes locked with his, the earthbender nodded, "Okay." She stuck her head back into the tent and murmured something to Zuko before pulling back and titling her head towards the entrance, "Go on in Jerk-Face, he's waiting."

Grimacing at the nickname Sokka ducked and entered.

Bare and devoid of any type of decoration, save the knapsack that rested atop his bedroll, Zuko's tent was uncharacteristically small. This was illustrated when Sokka nearly ran into said firebender, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, after only two steps inside. It didn't seem to bother the fire prince however.

"Sokka," Zuko greeted with a nod, his eyes calculating…waiting. He refused to make the first move, instead waiting for the Water Tribe warrior to explain himself.

Swallowing nervously and fighting down the urge to attack—the fire nation royal's eyes glinted in the waning sunlight that managed to enter the tent—he spoke, "I need to know where a prisoner of war would be kept."

Zuko blinked and then raised a brow, "Well that would depend on the caliber of said prisoner. Were they important?"

"Of _course_ she's important," Sokka growled, his fists clenched angrily. His eyes widened when he realized what he'd let slip, "I-I mean…she's important to the war effort. Or at least she was before your _sister_ captured her and _killed_ Aang!" He bit out the last part, determined to show Zuko ho much he still blamed him.

To his credit, Zuko continued the conversation without any indication that he had picked up on the not so subtle nuance in Sokka's words, "Who was she, in regard to the war I mean."

"She's the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. You know," Sokka sneered, "the female warrior tribe whose village you _burnt to the ground_."

This time Zuko flinched, his eyes falling out of focus as he recalled that debacle. Shaking his head he frowned, "Right…well…if she was a leader of any sort and actively moving against the Fire Nation then I know _exactly _where she is. And hopefully she's still waiting for interrogation."

Sokka's unreasonable demeanor brightened instantly, his hate for the boy in front of him overshadowed by the hope that had suddenly sprung into his chest, "Where? Where is she?"

Zuko let out a defeated sigh, "Therein lies the problem." At Sokka's questioning gaze he continued, "High profile prisoners of war are taken to one prison in the Fire Nation: the Boiling Rock. Two day's journey from here, it's the one prison that boasts a completely spotless record when it comes to prison breaks—no one, once inside, has ever managed to escape."

A derisive snort met that statement, "Oh come on we've gotten out of some sticky situations before. I'm sure I could get in and out of a simple prison."

The look Zuko shot him caused Sokka to stop dead, a chill running up and down his spine.

"There's a reason no one has ever gotten out…well, two actually. The first is the origin of the prison's name: a boiling hot lake surrounds the entire complex. The water is so hot that you could be looking at the skin burning off and not even know what was happening until _after_ you were dead."

Sokka gulped thickly, a grudging respect for the prison beginning to develop.

"But that's not the worst part," Zuko continued as he heaved a heavy sigh, "The second reason is lesser known but infinitely more dangerous. Within the Boiling Rock there is a room that houses several individual holding tanks affectionately known as 'The Cooler'.

"The tanks were originally designed to keep the firebending inmates docile and quell any sort of insurgence. The room keeps the heat out and, as the temperature drops, keeps the cold air in…hence 'The Cooler'. While it's not enough to do any permanent damage to a firebender because of the ability to regulate their body temperature, the prisoners who _aren't_ firebender's…hypothermia sets in and they die after too long.

"It's…a favorite tactic of the Warden and the guards after a prisoner goes through interrogation. Once they've extracted all the information they can, or if the inmate refused to break, they get thrown into The Cooler. It's only an hour but…that's usually enough."

His eyes wide and frightened Sokka let out a hoarse whisper, "Suki.."

"I can help you Sokka," Zuko breathed after a moment's silence, "I can help you get her back. If you'll let me…if you'll _trust_ me."

A tense silence settled inside the tent as both boys stared each other down; Sokka's eyes a mixture of distrust and veiled hope and Zuko's pleading but understanding.

"It's so hard for me to trust you," Sokka mumbled, "and I know I'm being irrational but…but for so long you were the enemy. You were constantly trying to capture Aang, relentlessly pursuing and attacking us. Some nights I'd wake up in a cold sweat, heart pounding and I swore I could see your eyes; emotionless, cold and ready to do nothing but inflict pain. And then your sister came into play…and hers are so much worse but they look just like yours."

Now it was Zuko's turn to stare in shock, a vague sense of understanding creeping up on him. Sokka's behavior was beginning to make sense. How could he have overlooked such a simple explanation?

"Sokka…I know we've never been on the best of terms. I was never exactly..._social_ before I started traveling with you guys. But I'm on _your_ side now, I really am. I'm not planning on leaving or betraying _any_ of you especially with K—" he caught himself before he could accidentally divulge that little bit of information, "Anyway if you want to try and rescue—Suki was it?—then I'm with you all the way. It's the _least _I can do to even begin to repent for what I've put you guys through. Just…say the word."

Sokka regarded him closely his cerulean eyes, just like his sister's, burning with passionate fire. He wanted Suki back. He wanted her safe in his arms again. And Zuko was the only chance he had to get her out.

Meeting his golden eyes, eyes that had haunted his dreams and plagued his thoughts for so long, Sokka growled, "Dawn. We'll need transportation."

Zuko smirked, "I'll take care of that."

Nodding, Sokka turned to leave. He stopped suddenly and looked back to the firebender, "…Thanks." With that he left, hope burning within him for the first time in what felt like years.

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A few hurried words to Haru and Teo yielded the location of the closest farmstead which both boys assured Zuko housed at least four ostrich-horses. Thanking the pair and heading for his own tent to make sure he had what he needed, he was stopped by a soft, "Zuko!"

Though it was dark outside, the glow of the nearby campfire was enough to illuminate the face of his favorite waterbender and he felt a smile stretch across his face. He went over to her and gathered her into his arms, her lithe frame molding perfectly with his. He caught her lips in a swift kiss, "Hey. What're you still doing up?"

Katara shrugged, "Nothing in particular. I kind of just wanted to make sure that Sokka _actually_ talked to you about…"

"Suki," he finished for her, "Yeah he did."

"Well, do you know where she could be?" the waterbender asked softly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Zuko nodded, "Yeah…yeah I do. And he asked for my help in trying to break her out."

Her blue eyes widened, "Are you…are you going to do it?"

"Yes. I have to or else there's no hope for either of them. We don't have much time either unless we want to risk losing Suki."

"W-where? Where are they holding her?" Seeing the reluctant look on her boyfriend's face, Katara pushed a little harder, eyes narrowed, "Zuko _where_ are they holding her?"

Looking into her determined eyes, Zuko realized he wasn't going to be able to get out of an explanation, "She's being held in The Boiling Rock prison compound. It's a facility that is renowned for being impossible to escape."

Katara watched his expression darken and even though he hadn't continued she knew there was something he wasn't telling her…something dark. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing," Zuko lied quickly, schooling his features, "I was just lost in thought for a moment."

He received a scowl in response, "Don't lie to me Zuko, tell me the truth before I drag it out of you!"

Closing his eyes in defeat he told her exactly what he had told Sokka. Her reactions mirrored her brother's almost identically, save for a few growls of anger at the mention of "The Cooler".

"My only worry," Zuko confided to her as they sat before the campfire his arms wrapped around her as she lay nestled against his chest, "is how to get out. I just can't think of a way to do it that doesn't involve an all out brawl with the guards or the rest of the prisoners."

Katara frowned, her mind trying to find a solution to the problem. He had mentioned a wire gondola that transported the prisoners to the actual facility from the mountain pass that surrounded the fortress.

"What about the gondola? Isn't that an option?" she asked softly, "Couldn't you just wait until nightfall and then sneak out and take it back up?"

Zuko considered the plan for a moment before speaking, "That's a possibility I guess but I'd be surprised if they didn't have guards watching the controls twenty-four hours a day."

"Yeah you're probably right," Katara sighed before a thought occurred to her, "Zuko, you said the prison is surrounded by _water _right?"

"Yeah, so?" he replied disinterestedly as his finger played with a few strands of her hair.

"There's water _all around _it?" she pressed, hoping to get her point across.

Now Zuko frowned, "Yes Katara there's water all arou—NO! Absolutely _not_! You are _not_ going!"

It seemed he had finally caught up.

"And why not?" Katara challenged as she sat up, crossing her arms and glaring at the firebender, "It's a foolproof guarantee that we would get out! As soon as we get Suki I can bend us up and out of there before anybody has any idea what's going on, you _know_ it!"

"Katara I don't want you involved in this! It's going to be dangerous, I don't know how long it will take and I'd rather rest easy knowing that you're safe here and not risking your life needlessly!" Zuko had thankfully managed to keep his voice in check as by now everyone had long since gone to sleep.

"You think it's going to be easy for _me_ to just sit here and wait for you to come back…_if_ you come back? You're putting yourself in just as much danger as I would if I went and you think it's fine to just write me off? How _dare_ you!" she shoved him away as she rose to her feet and began walking back toward her tent.

"Katara!" Zuko hissed as he chased after her, catching her elbow and spinning her to face him, "I'm _not_ writing you off! There's a _very_ specific reason why I don't want you going." His hand drifted to her stomach, caressing it lovingly with a small smile on his face, "And I think it's a valid argument."

Katara grumbled knowing that she had lost this battle. Zuko's argument was solid _and_ he was making sense, "Dammit."

"I promise you Katara, I'll come back. _We'll_ come back. I don't know how yet, but we'll make it…we'll be the first to put a blemish on The Boiling Rock's spotless record." He kissed her forehead lovingly, "We're leaving at dawn so I need to get as much sleep as I can. And when I get back I promise that I'll make it up to you, okay?"

The waterbender grinned devilishly, "_Or _you could start making it up to me _now_…"

Confused Zuko raised a questioning brow, "Wha—"

His question was cut off as Katara crashed her lips against his in a fiery kiss, her tongue playing at his lips and demanding entrance. Just as he was about to reciprocate, she pulled away.

"Everyone's asleep Hot Man," she whispered, her voice husky and her breath hot on his ear, "And I might not see you for awhile…"

_Click._

"Oh…_oh!" _

It seemed Zuko was a little slow on the uptake tonight but Katara smiled nonetheless and, taking his hand, walked toward his tent her hips moving sensually from side to side completely aware of the firebender's eyes following from side to side.

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It was a few hours later as the two benders lay content in each other's arms that Zuko felt the telltale stir in his body that signaled the subtle birth of a new day. It was a light tickle that, had he been completely asleep, wouldn't have woken him for at least another hour. As it was, the firebender was already awake and he reluctantly tried to extract himself from his lover's arms without waking her.

His attempts were unsuccessful as she began to stir as soon as his body left hers, a small frown marring her features at the loss of heat. Her eyes fluttered open and took on a slightly confused look before they settled on Zuko's naked form as he tugged on his pants. After taking an appreciative glance, which he was completely aware of, Katara smiled softly at him.

"Hi," she whispered as she lay on her side holding the blanket close to try and keep herself warm, "is it time already?"

Zuko pulled his shirt over his head before answering regretfully, "Yeah I've got to go meet up with your brother before he decides to poke his head in over here." He slipped on his shoes and knelt down next to his girlfriend, "Can you imagine how that'd turn out?"

Katara giggled, "Definitely not the best way to start off your trip, huh? 'You're sleeping with my _sister_!'"

Zuko chuckled lightly as he brushed a lock of hair out of her face, "Agni he'd _never_ trust me." With a sigh he leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I'll be back before you know it, ok? With your brother and Suki, I promise."

Katara's smile faltered slightly before she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, "Please be safe Zuko _please!_ Things have only just begun for us and…and I'm going to _kill_ you if you die understand?" After getting a smile and nod from the boy she continued, "And please watch out for Sokka. I know that he really cares for Suki and that might drive him to be a bit…reckless. I need _both_ of you back."

Zuko kissed her lips softly then, quelling her fears somewhat, "I love you Katara."

"I love you too Zuko."

"Now," the prince prompted as he adjusted the blanket around her, "you get some sleep so you're not exhausted later today! Someone's going to have to explain to Toph why she didn't get to come along and I'd rather you have a clear head so you know when to dodge the flying rocks."

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully as he stood up, "If you think that'll be bad just wait until you get back. That's when, as Toph is so fond of reminding us, 'the shit will hit the fan.'"

"Thank you for giving me something to look forward to," Zuko snipped dryly, "I have all the motivation in the world to end this quickly now. I love you."

"You too."

With a wink and a blown kiss goodbye he stepped out of the tent and made his way to Sokka's lodgings.

"You know we're going to have to talk about what _exactly_ is going on with you and my sister at some point," Sokka's voice stopped him cold and his heart dropped into his stomach, "Aside from the obvious of course."

"Sokka! What're you doing here?" _'Well _that's_ a stupid question_!' Zuko chided internally, of _course_ he knew what he was doing here!

The warrior in question didn't even dignify the query with an answer, merely raised a brow condescendingly and proceeded to make his way out of camp, "I assume you got transportation figured out?"

"Uh…yeah, yeah I talked to Teo and Haru and they said there's a farm about two hours from here that has a few ostrich-horses that we can borrow for the trip. Once we get those it shouldn't take us more than a couple of days to get to the prison."

"Good," Sokka whispered, "the sooner we get there the sooner we can get Suki out."

It wasn't long before the campsite had passed out of sight behind them and, after several failed attempts at conversation by Zuko, the farm, thankfully, came into view just as the sun was peeking out from behind the horizon.

"Now the only thing we have to watch out for," Zuko said quietly as they watched for any signs of life from the otherwise quiet house, "are the owners. More than likely they're firebenders so they should be up by now, which means it'll be a little bit more of a challenge."

Sokka scoffed, "I got this." He moved toward the pen and stopped at the fence, seeming to deliberate over what to do.

'_Is he stumped already?'_ Zuko thought in disbelief as he face palmed, '_that's…kind of a let down.'_

There was an audible click that drew him out of his thoughts and he looked up to see Sokka pulling the pen wide open. With his jaw hanging slack he watched as the Water Tribe warrior simply walked in, picked up a pair of saddles, tossed them onto the nearest mounts, and after tying everything down, guided them right back out.

Catching sight of Zuko's expression he snorted as he shut the pen, "What did you expect some kind of ninja move? Sometimes a direct approach is the easiest."

He handed a baffled Zuko the reins to his own ostrich-horse and the pair mounted swiftly. As they were about to take off they were startled by the sound of a door opening on the opposite side of the house followed by an older man's voice.

"Mara can you watch the baby while I check on the ostrich-horses? I swear I heard something out here a few minutes ago."

There was a muffled response and the sound of shuffling feet as the man made his way out toward the pen. And then a shout went up from inside.

"NOVA _NO_! Seto get back in here! She's doing it _again_!"

The footsteps that had been growing closer stopped and, judging by the sound of a slamming door, had retreated back into the house.

Zuko let out a relieved breath, blowing his hair out of his eyes, "Well that was a close one, huh?"

Sokka sighed indifferently, "I've had worse. Let's move."

They pushed the creatures hard trying to cover as much ground as possible and making sure to stick to the less populated roads. Neither of the boys saw any reason to try and make conversation; it was hard enough to stay balanced atop the ostrich-horses at the speed they were going.

As the sun began to set hours later, a swift hand motion across the throat from Sokka told Zuko that it was time to stop and make camp. Nodding at him Zuko quickly scanned the surrounding area and found an outcropping of tall rocks just ahead. It was relatively well covered by trees and other plant life and seemed to have only one approachable entrance allowing for easy defense.

'_Perfect.'_

Calling out over the rushing wind around them, Zuko caught Sokka's attention as he pointed out his find, "Sokka! To our right just ahead there's a perfect spot for camp!"

The ponytail wearing teen followed the prince's hand and turned to him as he slowed to a stop, "Yeah I see it, that'll do."

Camp was set up in a matter of minutes as they had forgone anything deemed unnecessary. Sleeping bags, food and water skins were all the two needed and Zuko was quick to start a fire.

Night fell quickly and the temperature along with it. The two teens were laying snug in their sleeping bags and staring up at the stars above them lost in thought.

It was Zuko who broke the silence first, his voice low and raspy with fatigue, "You know I really am sorry for everything I've done to you. I…I was under the impression that I could regain my honor by catching Aang and bringing him back to my father as a prisoner. I thought…I thought that by forsaking reason and ignoring the plights of others I could get my father…to love me."

Sokka remained silent for a moment as Zuko's words settled in his mind. "What do you mean _get_ your father to love you?"

Zuko let out a sharp breath, almost as if he was fighting off tears, and began his story.

"When I was younger, before everything happened with my banishment and the Avatar, I was a relatively happy kid. I had a father who was well respected within the capitol—though at the time I didn't know that the respect came only out of fear—a cynically witty younger sister, and a beautiful, loving mother. I thought life was great. But then…then things went downhill when my sister started firebending…_before_ me."

"Why was that the turning point?" questioned the Water Tribe native off-handedly.

"Normally a firebender doesn't make their first flame—or even show _signs _of bending capabilities—until they are at _least_ eight years old. My sister managed her first flame when she was six. I had been eight for almost a whole year and I _still_ hadn't shown any potential to be a bender. That was the first time that my sister's achievements began to overshadow mine and, naturally, my father was ecstatic.

"He dubbed my sister a prodigy and got her the most sought after firebending teachers in all the world. He lauded every one of her accomplishments, praised her abilities time and time again. When I made _my_ first flame the only witnesses I had were my mother and a cook who had happened by. There were no praises from my father for me.

"My mother assured me that I didn't need any of the overzealous praise and worship my father was piling on top of Azula: she said that I should be proud of my flame and the fact that I was a firebender. She was always supportive of me…always there when I needed her. But a son always wants his father's approval and I was no different.

"From that day on I strove to become the best firebender in the world. My mother chose my teachers because my father was too busy with his prodigy daughter to even spare me a thought. Unfortunately, while I could produce fire I was nowhere near as gifted as my sister—I couldn't pick up on all the subtle nuances of the forms and katas as quickly as she could.

"When my father _would_ come to watch me I always managed to slip up somewhere. There was always something that went wrong be it my katas, my forms…even maintaining my breath became difficult. And after each failed attempt to please him my father would say the same thing, '_Your sister was born lucky Zuko but you? You were lucky to be born! And yet every day you do nothing but disappoint me.' _

"By the time I was ten and she eight Azula had managed to produce blue fire, a feat nearly unheard of in even the most experienced benders. The blue flame is one of the hottest known to man and to be able to wield it as easily as my sister…at any rate, my father soon took up her training himself.

"Then came one of the worst days of my life. My father had requested an audience with his father, Fire Lord Azulon, to discuss something of importance but first he wanted to show off his daughter and how advanced she was in her training. She, of course, performed flawlessly. But I was eager to please my father and I asked for the same opportunity. Things…didn't go so well. Azulon, tired of the show, dismissed my mother, sister and I so that he could talk to my father alone.

"As we were leaving Azula stole behind the curtains near the back wall and pulled me along with her. She wanted to know what father and grandfather were going to talk about. It turns out that my father wanted Azulon to skip over my uncle, Iroh, as next in line to the throne because he had all but given up the invasion of Ba Sing Se after the death of his son Lu Ten. I panicked and ran out at my grandfather's rage but Azula stayed. "Later that night she came to my room and told me what had happened.

"Fire Lord Azulon told my father that for his heartless suggestion he would have to go through the same pain as his brother: the death of his first born. _'Father's going to kill you Zuzu.'_ I refused to believe her…I _couldn't_ believe her. And yet her words haunted my dreams. And then suddenly, the next day, word had spread throughout the palace that Fire Lord Azulon was dead. He had died in his sleep and had declared my father the next Fire Lord. And my mother…was gone."

Silence fell as Zuko paused, a sniff the only sign that he was affected at all, "But that wouldn't be the end of it. When I was thirteen I begged my uncle to take me into a war meeting with him so that I could see how things were done and how I'd have to act in order to be a good Fire Lord someday. He agreed, reluctantly, so long as I promised not to speak only watch and listen.

"Yet as always seems to be the case with me, I couldn't keep my mouth shut. One of the generals, an old man who probably hadn't seen battle in at _least _a few decades, proposed that we send in a group of green recruits against some of the Earth Kingdom's best benders so they could be a distraction while the more experienced firebenders snuck around and hit them from behind.

"I voiced my opinion loudly and passionately, saying that it wasn't right to sacrifice an entire regiment like that. I called the general out, saying that he wouldn't have been so willing to do the same if _he _had been fighting. My father didn't like what I had to say: he said that I was to take part in an Agni Kai, an honor duel to the death, for being so disrespectful. I bragged that I wasn't afraid. But I should have been.

"I had been foolish to believe that my father wouldn't have something up his sleeve. When I turned to face my opponent…I was met with the cold, glaring eyes of my father. By speaking out against the general's plan I had disrespected him yes, but it had been in my _father's_ war room during _his_ war council. I was to fight my father to maintain my honor or die.

"I couldn't do it. I threw myself to the ground and begged on my hands and knees for him to forgive me; I didn't know what I had done. But he kept shouting at me to get up and fight, to prove myself to him. Still I refused pleading for forgiveness and blubbering apologies that fell on deaf ears. _'You _will_ learn respect and suffering will be your teacher!'_ Ashamed at my display of cowardice, my father attacked."

A deafening silence engulfed the campsite and Sokka couldn't even begin to think of what to say so he settled on the obvious, "He burned you…he _gave_ you your scar."

"I bore that scar for so long…I let it define who I was and what my purpose in life had to be: to please the whim of a madman." Zuko's voice was soft now as he was clearly drained from reliving and revealing his past.

"I'm sorry Zuko," Sokka managed to whisper as the shock of Zuko's story began to set in.

"It doesn't matter anymore Sokka," Zuko assured him, "I'm not the same person I was back then or even a month ago. I stopped letting the mark on my face rule my life once your sister talked some sense into me. She and Toph have helped me so much…I can't even begin to tell you how much I owe all of you just for letting me join up with you. It's…I've changed."

Staring up at the night sky and into the moon Sokka nodded, "Yeah…yeah you have."

Sleep claimed them not long after.

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A/N: So the whole time I was writing this I kept thinking to myself that it was getting too long. I've found that, more often than not, walls of text discourage people so I try and keep things under 3000 words most of the time. I'd like your take on that though. Also, if there are some discrepancies with my interpretation of _anything_ in this chapter and the actual Avatar timeline, I'm sorry. I just happen to like it my way a little better. Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: So this chapter came about as the result of the recurring question in some reviews: what about Momo and Appa? It's short, but I think it covers Appa's perspective pretty well and there are some mentions of Momo but...well...I figure of the two Appa is better equipped to handle his own chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Interlude

There was a sharp pang deep within his heart and soul when he felt his spirit companion pass out of the realm of the living. It hadn't happened immediately of course, there had been a short amount of time after the fire and water benders had placed the lifeless boy on his back. He had felt the last gasp from the airbender and nearly stopped flying altogether.

Being cooped up on a Fire Nation ship for weeks hadn't been the best remedy either and, along with the lemur, he'd taken to fitful bouts of sleep punctuated by horrible visions and nightmares of his longtime friend in an eternal purgatory of pain and suffering.

He'd seen the depression that had settled over the humans and, if he hadn't been so absorbed in his own melancholy, would have tried to console them. They were close to the monk too. But none of them had ever understood him quite the way his boy did and they could never hope to.

When the lemur came to him one day bubbling with excitement, he was intrigued. Apparently, the firebender had managed to bring the waterbender out of her self-inflicted state of guilt _and _brought happiness to the little earthbender. He had felt genuine joy flow through him for the first time since The Passing and decided that, whether he liked it or not, the firebender deserved a great big lick.

Both of the girls had meant a lot to his companion and it was good to see them beginning to heal. There was only so much sorrow the human soul could handle before it began to break.

The water tribe boy was another story.

His pain seemed to venture so much deeper than the others; when they had fled Ba Sing Se he had been in a state of shock and not really acknowledging what had happened. But when the boy's sister and friends had finally begun to heal, he had only fallen deeper and deeper into depression.

So the lemur had been tasked with keeping tabs on him. For the next few weeks several cries of annoyance could be heard throughout the camp that were directed at the flying animal. Subtlety didn't seem to be being utilized in that endeavor.

When the long tailed nuisance had finally gathered any and all important information he returned and explained that the boy seemed to be focused on a girl that he'd lost, the one with the fans. A conversation overheard between the boy and his father had revealed that she had been taken captive by the fire princess and they had no idea where the Kyoshi warrior could be.

Though the missing girl was the most distressing matter weighing on the young boy's mind, it wasn't the only thing. The lemur had sensed and seen a growing animosity for the fire prince and it was steadily growing into outright hatred. Hopefully things wouldn't get out of hand and any sort of confrontation would only be through conversation.

But the most interesting thing that had occurred was the discovery that the waterbender was with child. The _fire_bender's child no less! It seemed harmony and life managed to continue blossoming despite the dark times the world found itself in. Maybe this would be the spark the world needed to see that one's nationality shouldn't be grounds to automatically label them evil.

At the very least, the child would give those it grew up around something to fight for, something worth dying for: hope. Hope that after everything was said and done and the dust had settled, there would still be a chance for a future.

And then the two boys had left.

If what the lemur said was true, they had come to an understanding, albeit an uneasy one, and the fire child was aiding the water warrior in finding and rescuing the Kyoshi warrior. They had considered taking him to cut their journey in half, but deemed him too obvious and their mission was one of stealth.

It had been two days since their departure and they should have arrived at their destination right now. With any luck, they hadn't gotten captured but nothing could be certain. The waterbender was worrying herself into sickness and the earthbender, along with her father, had been desperately trying to keep calm and get her rest.

Some things were easier said than done.

That night he went out for a long fly over the ocean, the lemur and the girls coming along for the ride. As the moon reached its peak in the sky and the stars shone bright, they all stared captivated by the beautiful scene before them.

It was just like old times.

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A/N: Well, there you have it guys and gals! I want to thank each and every one of you for reading and reviewing because, if it wasn't for you guys, I'd be writing this thing for no one but myself. And personally I like getting info from all different kinds of perspectives. Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you guys so much for the praise last chapter! I was very pleased that it was well received and that you guys enjoyed it. I'm not too good with remembering the non-human characters so it was an...interesting angle to work from. But anyway, I digress!

You guys rock and it's all because you're reading this story (still)!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch. 10-Burned

At dawn the next day Zuko roused Sokka and got them moving before the sun had even begun its ascent into the sky.

Grumbling as he tried to shake off the last vestiges of sleep from his foggy mind, Sokka looked over at his companion. His opinion of the fire prince had changed drastically in the past twenty-four hours; he had a better understanding of what had driven him to do the things he had done.

Just thinking about the way the Fire Lord had treated his son caused a shiver to run down his spine and thank La that his own father, while notably absent from the majority of his life, was a loving and caring man who didn't hesitate to show it when he could.

If he was honest with himself, Sokka didn't think he'd be able to look at Zuko and manage to stir up the same unbridled hatred that he had focused on the prince for so long. Without that bias it was painfully easy for him to see the difference in Zuko's eyes now: they held compassion and a longing for acceptance.

In sharp contrast Sokka recalled Azula's harsh gaze: maniacal and hungry for chaos. Just their few encounters with the princess had been enough to instill a new level of fear into the warrior's heart and, if he had a choice, he'd rather be stuck with Zuko for the rest of his life.

The day wore on with the same monotonous drone as its predecessor, though this time there weren't even any passing farms or houses to liven up the landscape. To Zuko however, that meant that they were getting closer to their destination and, as night began to fall, he caught the faint outline of the telltale mountain that housed the island prison through the gathering fog.

He put his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle, successfully catching the attention of Sokka who was just a little ways ahead of him. The teen in question pulled back on the reins of his mount and fell into step with Zuko.

"What's up?" he asked as they slowed to a trot.

"We're nearly there," Zuko replied pointing towards the rising landmass before them, "The Boiling Rock is just ahead, though we're going to have to find a good place to hide these guys so they don't get spotted."

Nodding Sokka felt the excitement begin to bubble up inside him once again at the prospect of having Suki back in his arms. '_Soon…'_

When they arrived at the foot of the mountain they came to a stop and dismounted the ostrich-horses and tied them to a couple of trees in a relatively out of the way and shady spot.

Once he had tethered his mount securely to the tree Zuko turned toward his companion to find the Water Tribe boy searching hastily through his pack.

"What are you looking for?" he asked walking over to the pony-tailed teen.

"I," Sokka began, "am looking for—aha! I have _found_ the greatest invention known to man!" He pulled away from the depths of the pack and brandished his prize for the puzzled prince to see. In his hands he held a circle of what appeared to be seal jerky that was fashioned into a crude necklace.

"Every man's dream is to be able to eat on the go, correct?" Without waiting for an answer he pressed on, "Well yesterday night while you were off getting water I had a brilliant idea! Why not get a whole bunch of seal jerky, tie it together and make a necklace out of it? That way, when your hands are full or otherwise occupied, and you have a sudden hunger pang, all you have to do is tilt your head down, snag the jerky, and chew! I call it the Circle Jerk!"

Even if he had bitten his tongue clean off Zuko would not have been able to quell the laughter that erupted from his mouth. Even though he tried to quiet himself desperately he couldn't: every time he came close the name of Sokka's improvised invention came to mind and prompted more hysterical laughter.

Scowling, Sokka asked, "What's so funny? I thought it was a great idea!"

Shaking with silent laughter Zuko shook his head, "Do you…haha…do you even know what a 'Circle Jerk' is?"

The warriors blue eyes stared obliviously back at him, "Yeah…it's my _invention_. See? Circle of seal jerky? Circle Jerk?"

Putting his face in his hands to hide the smile that was getting wider by the minute Zuko explained, "Sokka…a "circle jerk" is-is…it's when…dammit I'm getting nowhere. Um…you know how sometimes you see an incredibly attractive girl on the street that you can't get out of your head? And all day you're thinking about how things would be if she were your girlfriend and you could just…have your way with her? Then later that night you find yourself uh, _stroking_ your ego, so to speak?"

There wasn't a sign of realization in Sokka's eyes and, with a sinking feeling that killed the remnants of his laughter, Zuko realized he was going to have to put it in laymen's terms.

"Agni help me," he whispered as he looked up to the sky in exasperated embarrassment, "You _masturbate_ you idiot!"

Comprehension dawned on Sokka, his face paling.

"Well," Zuko drove on, desperate to finish this so they could get on with the Agni-damned rescue mission, "A _circle jerk_ is when a group of guys stand around in a circle and…well…jerk off. Hence my laughter at "Circle Jerk" the amazing meat necklace!" Zuko paused before smirking, "Ha, there's another innuendo for you right there, in case you were want for any _more_ sex references."

Blue eyes widened in horror at the information that had just been given to him and Sokka ripped off the seal jerky necklace from around his neck and threw it as far as he could. He glared at Zuko, "I hate you."

Another round of raucous laughter met his declaration.

Once his companion's guffaws had faded Sokka, still bitter, turned to Zuko, "Okay then…plan time!"

Perplexed, the firebender raised a brow, "Uh…what?"

"Plan time," Sokka reiterated, "you know: the crucial time before a mission or task where you _plan_ what you're going to do before you actually _do_ it so you don't have to worry about getting caught with your pants down," he paused and seemed to think for a moment before adding, "figuratively of course."

"Wow," Zuko huffed in disbelief, "I never thought about that. I usually just jump right in and…make it up as I go along."

Sokka snorted, "And you wonder _why_ we always managed to get away from you all the time. Planning, my dear Prince Zuko is essential to any successful endeavor."

With a scowl Zuko crossed his arms defiantly, "Okay then oh 'Wise One', how do we get your girlfriend out?"

A blush marred his cheeks, but Sokka paid it no mind, "Well to tell you the truth…I have no idea." The sound of Zuko slapping his palm to his face prompted Sokka to defend himself, "But that's only because I haven't seen the place yet or determined what we'll have at our disposal when we get in."

"So you're telling me," Zuko began through clenched teeth, "that, after your little tirade on having '_plan time'_, you think we have to go in there to evaluate the situation _first_? Kind of like _my_ idea?"

A beat and then, "…yes?"

Zuko felt his eye twitch.

The trek up the mountain wasn't too horrible, aside from having to slowly scale the unstable rocks and vines that protruded from the side of the landform. Several times Zuko was forced to brace himself from falling debris as Sokka, who'd scampered up first, pulled at a loose outcrop only to have it give way.

Despite his grumblings and the occasional swear, Zuko knew that things would finally get easier once they reached the top seeing as the prison was accessed regularly and the path to the gondola was well worn. That being said the top was still a long way up.

"Heads up!" Sokka called as yet another hail of rock and dirt fell toward him. Latching onto his current holds quickly, Zuko managed to weather the storm without too much trouble.

"Dammit Sokka I _know_ you're doing that on purpose!"

Of course that didn't mean it wasn't getting annoying.

"What?" Sokka drawled, "Why would I consistently put you in danger of falling hundreds, or at this point _thousands_, of feet to your death by dropping rocks in your face? That would be stupid!"

There was a faint sound of crumbling earth before a rock—a rather _large_ rock if Zuko had anything to say about it—fell onto the firebender's head.

There was a pause and an indignant huff.

"This is for the 'Circle Jerk' crack…isn't it?"

Another rock hit him square in the face.

Between dodging rocks and following Sokka's foot and handholds, Zuko found that the trip up the mountain went rather quickly. However it was tiring and, when the top and the flat surface that accompanied it showed up, Zuko let out a relieved breath.

He grabbed a hold of Sokka's outstretched arm as the boy helped him up the cliff face. He gave the teen a half-hearted glare as he wiped all the excess dirt off of his clothes and out of his hair.

"You know that _really_ wasn't necessary. Not only could I have _died_ if I wasn't careful, but _you _were the one who came up with the name in the first place!"

"It was a good name before you…_defiled_ it with your twisted mind!" Sokka defended heatedly, his arms crossed and scowl on his face.

"Are you kidding me? The minute you had gone public with a name like that people would have started trying to kill you for indecent exposure!" Here the fire prince cleared his throat and changed his voice opting for the rather squeaky one of his companion, "'Hi there, Sokka here and have I got a question for you! Does anyone want to try a Circle Jerk?'" Zuko snorted derisively, "I bet _that _would go over _so_ well!"

Unfortunately for Sokka, the bender had a point. Despite the innocent origins of his invention, which by now was probably some nameless animal's dinner, no one would take more than a passing glance at it if he stuck with that name.

"I hate the fact that you've destroyed seal jerky for me. I just want you to know that."

"Duly noted," Zuko said, before starting up the path, "Now come on, we're nearly there."

As they made their way down the well-worn path, Sokka began bouncing ideas off of Zuko on how to get in without attracting too much suspicion.

"Well what do you think about going in as prisoners? We could attack some random guard and then let ourselves get captured. Then we wouldn't have to worry too much about sneaking around to find Suki: we could just wait until the guards give us free time."

"Sokka," Zuko sighed, "after everything I've told you about this place, why would you want to limit what freedom we actually have by playing prisoner? I say we should ambush a couple of guards, take their uniforms and ask around until we find your girl."

The water native shook his head, "No way! Don't you think that'd be a _little_ bit suspicious? Two guards all of a sudden taking an interest in a specific prisoner and making it their personal goal to find her? Uh-uh, not doing it! We'd be risking our necks if we were found out _and_ Suki's just because we were curious."

"You have a point I guess," yielded Zuko, running a hand through his raven locks as his frustration started to grow, "But then _how_?"

By now they had reached the mouth of the cave that housed the gondola that transported guards and prisoners to the island complex. Signaling for silence, Zuko snuck a glance in to try and gauge the situation.

Several torches running along its length illuminated the elaborate pulley system that was housed within the cave and, judging by the dying embers of what had once been a campfire, the guard quarters as well. Though whether or not there actually _were_ guards present remained to be seen.

"I think the coast is clear," Zuko whispered looking back at Sokka with suspicious eyes, "but stay alert."

Both boys slowly moved into the cave with their weapons drawn. There was silence as they took in the sight around them fully and, while there didn't appear to be anyone there now, it was clear people had been here recently.

"So," Sokka mumbled, "for such a secure facility they seem to be lacking in actual _people_. This is looking like a cake walk."

"I'd agree with you except for one thing," Zuko breathed, "we can't do anything _without_ the gondola! I don't know about you but I don't feel like sliding down the cables _by hand_!"

Sokka nodded, "Yeah…not to mention the guards would see us as clear as day. You know," he added as an afterthought, "if there actually _are_ guards on duty here."

The screeching sound of metal on metal interrupted their conversation and both boys turned to see the pulley system working, along with several gears that were grouped off to the side of the cave, to move the thick metal cables.

"Are…is the gondola…" Sokka couldn't seem to figure out exactly what was going on as he turned to Zuko with confusion clearly written on his face.

"Search me," the bender responded he too looking on in astonishment as the gondola grew steadily closer.

"Do you think they're sending it up for someone?" Sokka queried.

"At this time of day? No…at least I don't think so. Unless…" Zuko trailed off as he adopted a look of intense thought.

Sokka was about to ask "unless what?" when the cacophony of sound stopped signaling the arrival of the gondola.

There was no one inside of it: no guards, no prisoners…nobody.

With a soft laugh Zuko clapped Sokka on the shoulder, "Unless Agni has finally decided smile upon me for once and it's for us."

"Close, but no." A voice rang out, echoing within the cave as if the words had been shouted.

Both boys spun around in panic and their eyes widened as they caught sight of a satisfied smirk and amused eyes.

"Agni hasn't smiled on you…but on me. Hello Zuzu."

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A/N: And there you have it people! A little more Zuko/Sokka bonding time and an epic "holy crap" moment at the tail end of the chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and I hope you'll drop a review if you see fit.

On another note, this story is potentially going to be part of a quadrilogy. That's right, I've got the concept down for each of the other three stories and things...should get interesting. Until next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Hello ladies and gentlemen and welcome back to another installment of _Avatar: The Fall_! Thank you guys so much for the reviews from last chapter and I'm glad you all enjoyed the little interaction between Zuko and Sokka and the ingenious invention mentioned there! I can't tell you how hilarious that was when the idea ocurred to me and your reactions were well worth it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch. 11- Plans

"_Azula_!" Zuko gasped in fear as he took in the sight of not only his sister, but her two friends Mai and Ty Lee as well, one of which looked extremely pleased with herself and the other…extremely bored.

"Indeed brother and…Soppa was it?" the fire princess sneered.

"So_kk_a," the boy in question ground out, his eye twitching in annoyance.

"Isn't that what I said Tokka?"

"_Sokka_!"

Surprisingly Sokka's voice wasn't the only one that corrected the royal. The girl to her left, clad all in pink and with long brown hair done up into an equally long braid that fell just past mid back, blushed profusely as all eyes turned to her.

"Whatever," Azula said dismissively, "Zuzu and insignificant water tribe peasant number one, you're under arrest for crimes committed against the Fire Nation, being part of one of the Water Tribes, and _treason_ against your nation. Ty Lee, Mai arrest them!"

There was a flurry of motion as both girls immediately jumped into action. It was all either of the boys could do to fend off their two attackers. If they weren't trying to block flying knives or stilettos then they were dodging surgically precise chi-blocking strikes.

"Dammit," Zuko grunted as he tried to keep Mai's projectiles at bay, "she's gotten _a lot_ better. Sokka, duck!"

The water warrior did as he was told and narrowly avoided a jab that would have paralyzed the entire left side of his body. "Thanks! AAAAHH!" Another awkward bend prevented Ty Lee's foot from connecting with certain parts of his anatomy he'd rather keep intact. "Dirty fighter!"

The acrobat merely giggled, "There wouldn't've been any permanent damage cutie! I couldn't do that to you."

The temporary lapse in his defense at her comment was all Ty Lee needed to incapacitate Sokka, his limbs falling useless as he collapsed to the ground.

"Damn," he grumbled.

Seeing his ally fall at the hands of the circus performer, Zuko knew it would only be a matter of minutes before he too succumbed to the onslaught. Immediately he set his blades alight, each one glowing brilliantly with the same white fire that had decorated the catacombs of Ba Sing Se merely a month before.

"Really Zuzu, firebending? That's against the Boiling Rock's rules." His sister mocked as she came forward, her own hands igniting with blue flame. "I guess I'm going to have to step in now."

With a growl Zuko was about to throw a strike at his sibling when a sharp stabbing pain erupted in his left shoulder. His distraction had cost him as he looked to see one of Mai's lethal projectiles staring him in the face. It was a clean piercing—the handle separated from the tip by his shoulder—and a shocked scream erupted from his throat.

He clutched at the wound with his uninjured arm his eyes now shooting back and forth in a panicked frenzy as he tried to keep all three girls in his field of vision.

The mocking laughter of his sister caught his attention but he had learned from his mistake, "Just give it up Zuzu there are three of us and only one of you, not to mention you're injured. Surrender now and I'll spare you the fate of seeing the peasant put into The Cooler. Keep fighting and he'll freeze first."

It wasn't much of a choice if he was being completely honest with himself. Taking a deep breath and setting his wounded pride aside, Zuko yielded to his sister.

It seemed they were going to follow Sokka's plan after all.

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They weren't put in handcuffs or any other kind of restraint.

Sokka was still completely useless with all his limbs more ready to fall off than to actually obey him. A rather pleased looking Ty Lee was keeping him upright and somehow managing to make the warrior blush bright red. On further inspection it seemed that her ability to make him blush so much stemmed from _where_ she was holding him up.

While Zuko _did _have his basic motor functions, his sister had instructed Ty Lee to neutralize his bending for the transportation to the prison. Azula was taking malicious pleasure in twisting the stiletto in his shoulder every time she deemed him 'acting suspicious'.

Mai remained the only one of the girls who retained a relatively impassive state, although her eyes flitted to Zuko once in a while when she thought no one was looking. There was a strange glint in her amber orbs however, an almost resigned longing.

The gondola came to another audible stop, gears wrenching together and cables straining just to hold up the boat.

Grimacing at the sound as she stepped off the transport, her hand remaining locked securely around the blade in her brother's shoulder, Azula shouted at the nearby guards.

"I need these two prisoners taken care of _immediately_! The one with the brown hair and ponytail is Water Tribe; we'll need to set up his execution as soon as possible. And this one here," she grinned savagely twisting the stiletto even further in, "is my dear brother the banished prince Zuko. When we were on our way over he attempted to stop us by _firebending_. Give him the _royal_ treatment!"

Six guards were at her side as soon as the words were out of her mouth none of them wanting to give the princess any reason to repeat herself. Three went to Sokka, who was finally getting the feeling back in his legs, and shackled his hands.

The other three made their way cautiously toward Zuko whose disgruntled face set off warning bells in their minds.

"Don't worry gentlemen, he can't bend. Just mind his hands and feet and he shouldn't be a problem." Azula encouraged gleefully.

Heeding her orders, the men clamped the iron cuffs to the ex-prince's wrists and ankles and proceeded to take him into the bowels of the facility, followed closely by Sokka.

"Have fun in prison while you can brother! Once father hears you're in town he'll want a _personal_ audience with you before he has you executed in front of the entire nation."

Azula's laughter echoed down the darkened hallways, following the teens as they were dragged to their cells before being forcefully stripped and changed into the rags that were the prison attire.

"You behave yourself _Prince_ Zuko; we'll be back in a few hours after The Cooler's prepped for your visit." The guards laughed darkly as they turned to leave. "If you're lucky you'll be the first firebender to die in there because, honestly, I don't think you're going to survive one of Princess Azula's _interrogations_."

Once the hall cleared and their voices had faded into nothing, Zuko swore loudly.

"DAMMIT!" he roared as smoke spilled out of his nostrils in frustration, "AGNI DAMN HER!" The bars of his cell shivered ominously as he vented, no doubt waking several of the other prisoners up nearby. "FUCK!"

"Zuko," Sokka called from his adjoined cell, "relax man. You yelling and swearing up a storm will only get you into _more_ trouble. You've got to calm down or else we're _never _going to be able to find Suki!"

The firebender growled viciously but he knew it was true; there wasn't anything to be accomplished by flipping out now. Sighing Zuko spoke, "You're right Sokka, sorry. I just can't find any comfort in the fact that my sister is going to be handling my questioning. Torture much?"

"Well that's true, but only if we're still here when she's ready to start," Sokka reasoned, his mind obviously working in overdrive as he took in his surroundings.

"And just _how_ do you plan on getting us out of here—here an inescapable prison—in the space of a 'few hours', with nothing to work with, no possible way of locating your girlfriend, my _chill_ date in the Cooler _and_ Ty Lee, Mai and my sister hanging about?" Zuko questioned, his patience at Sokka's unreasonable optimism waning fast, "Oh yeah, not to mention that this whole godforsaken prison is surrounded by _boiling hot water_!"

"Take it easy Captain Melodrama or you're going to let the whole damn prison know that we're looking to make a break for it. Besides…I think your Cooling session is just the answer we're looking for!" Sokka nearly squealed in delight.

Hearing the water tribe teen's squeaks, Zuko banged his head on the bars of his cell in resignation, "I'm glad the prospect of my torture could be the fuel for your inspiration. Pray tell, what exactly do you have in mind?"

Before Sokka could respond, the door to the holding area was flung open and one of the guards stuck his head in.

"Okay maggots, you've got one hour of free time before dinner at sundown. And if you plan on eating you'd better be there on time because once everything is put up that's it, no second chances. And no bending whatsoever; Princess Azula is here and if she sees anything she doesn't like she'll handle it _personally_."

With that, the guard pressed a button on the wall to his left and all of the cell doors opened, letting the prisoners inside out for their little bit of freedom.

Sokka walked over to Zuko's cell, where the prince was waiting with his arms crossed, "So," he greeted, his eyes darting around frantically, "I think I've got a solution to our escape problem. Come on, let's go outside."

They followed the dwindling crowd down the hallway and out into a large metal passage that led into an enormous stone courtyard. It was flat and devoid of anything but wooden benches that were few and far between—obviously the prisoners were expected to simply stand around and not do _anything_ for the entirety of their break.

Along the length of the walls several more doors were opening and even more prisoners were spilling into the area. The inmates were men and women, young and old, large and small. At a glance it seemed all the nations were represented; blue, green and amber eyes flashed all around Sokka and Zuko though several other colors were abundant as well.

Zuko glanced at Sokka out of the corner of his eye and saw the teen's own eyes darting back and forth over all of the occupants of the courtyard. There was desperation in his gaze as he ran toward the nearest bench and jumped on top of it, completely oblivious to the fact that there were people sitting there already.

"Hey watch it punk!" one of them grumbled, an older male with black hair, green eyes, and a considerable amount of bulk on his body, "I'm sitting here!"

"Sorry," muttered Sokka distractedly, "I'm looking for someone and I can't exactly see anything over all these people. I just…"

There was silence as he trailed off and the slightly agitated look on the earth native's face eased into a grin, "I tell you what kid, if your girlfriend landed herself in here than she's definitely on my list of people I need to meet. What does she look like?"

At this point Zuko had made his way over to his friend, "Yeah seriously Sokka, what _does_ she look like? I've only ever seen her with her makeup on and fans flying; not exactly the best conditions to make a formal introduction."

Not pausing in his search, Sokka explained, "She's my height with brown hair, peach colored skin, and blue-grey eyes. She's as prideful as they come but…she deserves every bit of it—she's one hell of a fighter. She's a little forceful when it comes to getting what she wants but that only helps her when things get tough. And she's one hell of a leader."

"Hmm…you know that sounds like little Suki over in cell block B Ton," the other man that had been on the bench interjected, his amber eyes alight with admiration, "you know, the one that keeps going on about starting a riot and overthrowing the guards!"

Both Zuko and Sokka turned sharply at this revelation with the latter asking the question on both their minds, "You've seen Suki? Where is she?"

The larger man, Ton, rubbed his chin in thought, "You know now that I think about it he has her down to a tee Azzan," he looked at the two teens, "We've seen her alright. She usually hijacks a table at dinner and preaches about banding together and looking past our differences. Poor thing's not gonna last too much longer if she keeps it up."

"Why?" Zuko asked frowning, "What happened?"

"Oh nothing yet but every time she gets up to talk I can hear some of the shadier inmates whispering and it's never good. Usually it's whether or not the guards would mind if they had some fun with her. She's one of the more attractive women in this prison and if she keeps pushing the guards, they're gonna turn a blind eye when something _does_ happen." Ton explained, a sad look on his face.

"But," interrupted Azzan, his gaze steel, "she's got more allies than she thinks. Most of us in this hellhole are innocent and were imprisoned just because we had an association with someone of Water Tribe descent. Don't get me wrong; I've never seen eye to eye with Ozai and his goals but I had to protect my wife, so I played my part. But it still wasn't enough for the Fire Lord.

"For Agni's sake I was leading my troops through one of the colonies when I was captured. My wife is Water Tribe and I had been trying for years to keep it a secret but they found out. She was nine months pregnant when I was shipped out and…I don't even know if I have a son or a daughter. Or if I'll ever see my wife again...or lay eyes on my child."

Ton put a hand on his friend's shoulder sympathetically, "I used to live in Ba Sing Se before Princess Azula and the Fire Nation took over, in the lower ring. My neighbors were recent refugees who had fled the colonies before the Avatar was killed and things went to shit. They were Water Tribe.

"When the raids started, I offered to hide them for as long as I could; all I had was a one room apartment with a basement that I'd had some benders dig out for me, but I figured they'd have a better chance there than in that overpriced shack they were cramped up in."

He sighed heavily, a haunted look in his eyes, "The soldiers came a night. They were silent, swift and efficient. They gave no warning, just knocked the door in and stormed the apartment before I even knew what was happening. Two of them tied me up and made me watch as they set fire to the basement. All I could hear were their screams as they tried to get out, the parents' pleads to spare their children…"

Ton didn't continue and he didn't have to; they all knew what had happened from there.

Zuko's fists were clenched in rage and his eyes blazed with a hatred that Sokka had never seen before. Shaking, the bender spoke.

"I'm sorry," he said, his head bowed and bangs falling into his golden eyes.

Ton snapped back to reality and raised an eyebrow, "Why? You didn't do it, did you?"

"No," Zuko whispered, "but I…I've done nothing to stop it."

Sokka rolled his eyes at this, "Zuko you couldn't have done anything about it and you know it. We were halfway across the Earth Kingdom when that decree went out and even _if_ we'd turned around we would have been overwhelmed as soon as we set foot in town."

Zuko tensed when Sokka said his name, his eyes flicking toward the two men in front of them.

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait a minute! _You're_ Zuko? _The _Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation?" Ton asked his eyes going wide as he stared at him in shock, "Aren't you supposed to have a scar on your face?"

"Yes, I'm the former crown prince of the Fire Nation." Zuko replied, his head still hung in shame though he ignored the query about his scar.

Azzan looked surprised for a moment but it vanished almost as fast as it appeared, "It's an honor my prince."

That caused the banished royal to look up sharply, his eyes locking with the ex-soldier, "Why would it be an honor? After all that my family has done to the world under the guise of righteousness, why would it be an honor to meet me?"

The man smiled slightly, "Because anyone who's gone through what you have and come out of it for the better is nothing short of a true hero. And whether you believe it or not Prince Zuko, you've done _nothing_ wrong; you're father and your sister have, but not you. Besides," here Azzan grinned devilishly, "anyone who can one up Princess Azula and leave her completely flummoxed is alright in my book."

Sokka laughed at the man's comment and slapped Zuko on the back, "You see Prince Pouty? Not everything is your fault _all the time_."

Zuko let a small smile grace his features as he inclined his head at Azzan, "It's nice to meet you as well. I think you're the first person to ever be genuinely happy to meet me at the first introduction and that _includes _my girlfriend though, to be fair, there is a _very_ interesting back story as to why exactly that's true."

Ton had remained silent throughout the exchange, his face and eyes hard as he regarded Zuko coolly. He seemed to come to a decision as he spoke, a glare on his face, "What happened to your scar? Every wanted poster I've seen and every description of you I've heard shows you with a wicked looking scar over your left eye. Things like that don't just get made up, so where'd it go?"

"That would be my girlfriend's doing actually," Zuko answered easily as a nostalgic light shone in his eyes, "she's a waterbender and she's incredibly gifted when it comes to healing. I…well, let's just say I owe her a _lot_."

The explanation appeared to appease the man as he sat back against the bench, "Someone like that'd sure come in handy in a scrape. Being able to heal and all with just some focus and water…right useful."

"Not that I'm _not_ proud of my sister and her amazing abilities," Sokka quipped, "but you guys said you've seen Suki around, right? I'd really love to be able to find her."

Azzan chuckled, "I take it she's your girlfriend then? I bet she's quite the handful even when she's _not_ trying to incite rebellion."

"That's not the point!" Sokka insisted, "I just…I need to see her."

Ton nodded, a sympathetic look on his face, "Of course, of course. She's over in cellblock B which is over…" he turned to his left and put his hand over his eyes to shield them from the setting sun, "Ah, there she is! And is that…yep, she's talking to Neera again Azzan—there's gonna be trouble at dinner tonight!"

He turned back to talk to Sokka only to find both teenagers gone and Azzan with a concerned expression on his face, "Where'd they go?"

The ex-soldier motioned behind him with his head, "Sokka took off as soon as you spotted Suki and I'm hoping that Prince Zuko went to stop him."

Puzzled, the earth kingdom prisoner asked, "Why would you want him to stop the kid? It seems like he really missed her."

"That's the problem," Azzan explained, "he's overwhelmed with joy and relief right now and he's probably going to make a big scene. If he makes a big scene everyone will notice, including the guards. And if the _guards_ notice then you can bet they'll let Princess Azula know and she's one hell of a conniving bitch if you ask me. It would be better if he just waited."

Ton nodded as he saw the truth in the fire native's words, "Oh boy…this could get interesting."

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"Sokka! _Sokka!_" Zuko called after the teen, finally managing to grab his arm and pull him to a stop, "Would you hold on a minute and think things through?"

"What is there to think about?" Sokka growled, his eyes never leaving Suki even as he struggled to break free of Zuko's grip, "I haven't seen Suki in a month and I've been worried sick about her. And now that she's literally _right here_ in front of me, safe and sound, you want me to _stop_? _Fuck _you!"

Zuko grasped Sokka's other arm, barely managing to hold on, "Sokka you can go to her but not right now. Not when everyone, including my _sister_, can see what's going on! Do you really think Azula wouldn't see your reunion with Suki and _not_ trying and break the both of you? If you go over there and make a big scene—like I _know_ you were going to—then Suki would be in an interrogation room and then thrown into The Cooler faster than you can possibly imagine."

This seemed to quell Sokka's fighting as he stopped pulling and sighed, "Dammit. I _hate_ it when you're right. I guess I'll just wait until dinner then…maybe try and find a few moments of privacy."

The firebender put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, "I know this is hard Sokka but at least you know she's safe and, as soon as you tell me your "genius" plan, we can get out of here."

"Right," Sokka whispered distractedly, stealing one last glance at Suki as if trying to will the girl to look his way, "well, it involves your trip to The Cooler if you can believe it. I've got a theory about how the thing might work, but I'd like to get it confirmed before I send you off on a fool's errand."

Zuko groaned, "As if things weren't bad enough I'm now subject to the whim of your experimentation…joy."

"Oh shut up you cry baby, it's not like I'm asking you to start a fight on purpose to get thrown in there; you're already going! And you've got your own sister to thank for that so it's no use complaining to me!" Shaking his head he continued, "Now come on, I've got a few more questions for Ton and Azzan that I hope they can answer."

They found the two prisoners back where they had left them, both of whom looked slightly relieved. Azzan spoke first.

"I'm glad that Prince Zuko was able to get a hold of you before you got to Suki, I would have hated to see what the guards would have done if they'd seen you reunited with her. No shred of happiness survives for too long here."

Ton nodded from his seat next to the firebender, "Ain't that the damn truth."

"Sokka," Zuko started, "you said you had to ask Azzan and Ton some questions?"

"Right!" the water tribe teen paused briefly to gather himself, "Okay, so Zuko got himself a session in The Cooler later tonight—"

"WHAT?" Azzan barked, his calm façade breaking for the first time, "What in Agni's name did you do to get put in there already?"

Looking his fellow bender right in the eye, Zuko responded dryly, "We got here at the same time as my sister…and I might have threatened her with flaming swords."

Ton laughed heartily at this, "That would've been fun to see, Princess Azula at sword point!"

"Oh trust me," Sokka grinned, "it wasn't anything near that good! It was more like "surrender Zuzu" and then, ever defiant, Zuko was all "no" and lit his blades on fire. Then he screamed like a little baby when he got hit with one of that perpetually depressed girls knives right _here_!" He clapped his hand on Zuko's shoulder to emphasize his point, eliciting a sharp grunt from the boy.

"That," Zuko growled with murder in his eyes as he removed Sokka's hand, "still _hurts_ you moron! They didn't exactly patch it up!"

Sokka let out an awkward chuckle as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "Oops?" he offered.

"Just ask them the damn questions Sokka," Zuko grumbled as he rolled his shoulder in an attempt to dull the pain.

"Oh yeah, of course!" turning to two inmates he adopted a thinking pose, one hand rubbing his chin and the other resting on his hip, "So I've been thinking about how to possibly break out of this place and I might have just struck gold on this idea but I'm still trying to work out the kinks.

"First off, since The Cooler is an anti-firebender device it's gotta be insulated right? To keep the cold air in so no one can bend in there," Azzan nodded prompting the young strategist to continue, "That means that it also keeps the heat _out_! So my idea has to do with hijacking one of those coolers and using it as a boat to get from this island to shore on the other side!"

Azzan, Ton and Zuko all looked at Sokka with slack-jawed expressions on their faces. Whether they were gob smacked at the simplicity of the scheme or the absurdity of it had yet to be seen.

Sokka took their silence as a sign for the positive, "I know right? I'm a genius!"

It was Azzan who managed to snap out of his stupefied daze first, "While I admit your plan has merit Sokka I'm going to have to point out a few flaws in it." The pleased expression fell off of Sokka's face, "For one thing the individual coolers are maintained regularly and bolted down securely. Secondly, before you could even attempt to get the thing out, you'd need a wrench to loosen all the nuts and bolts.

"Third, where in Agni's name are you going to hide the cooler if you _do_ manage to get it unhooked and loose? And last, but certainly not least, how are you planning to even get _out_ of your cells, to the cooler—wherever on this Agni forsaken island you're planning on stashing it—and make it across the boiling hot lake _unnoticed_?"

The Water Tribe teen blinked rapidly as he met the firebender's expectant stare, not seeming to comprehend exactly what had been asked of him.

"Um…I'll figure it out when we get to that point?"

The sound of three palms smacking their owner's faces was all he got in response.

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A/N: There you go! Another chapter with Sokka's less than stellar ideas falling apart! Don't get me wrong, I love Sokka, but he's too easy to pick on and still feel good about it afterward. Anyway I hope you enjoyed it and, as always, reviews are much appreciated. I love you guys and I hope you keep coming back! Til next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: First and foremost I just want to say thank you to each and every one of you for review and adding this story to your Alerts list. It means a lot to me to know that you all are actually interested and have an opinion in regards to the tale being weaved. That being said, I have for you now the next chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Ch.12- Reunion

After his plan had had enough holes blown in it to sink a Fire Nation warship, Sokka had resorted to moping around in depression convinced that he'd never be able to hold Suki again, much less see the light of day.

By dinner Zuko had had enough.

"Okay Sokka listen," the firebender growled as he pulled the lamenting teen into the chair next to his and slammed down his meager bowl of "slop"—a questionable concoction of water, onions and rice—before speaking again, "I don't want to hear you wallowing in self-pity anymore, alright? That's _my_ job…or, it was until I fell in love with your sister…"

Sokka groaned, running his hands through his hair in aggravation, "_So_ not helping Zuko."

"Sorry," Zuko apologized hurriedly trying to fight down the blush that ran across his face, "anyway, what I'm trying to say is you're acting like a five year old who got his favorite toy taken away! Snap out of it! So your old plan got shot to shit, big deal! It wasn't because it was _bad_, it was just because we're not exactly in a position to get a hold of the things we'd need to accomplish it. Granted I _did_ say we should have taken the armor off some of the guards but…never mind."

They were joined by Tor and Azzan, the latter of whom was looking down at his bowl in disgust, "It doesn't matter how long I've been here…I am _never _going to get used to this crap!" He looked at the three of them as if hoping one of them would share in his pain. Seeing as none of them had anything to say, he sighed and sat down, "Damn Fire Nation bastards."

"Does it bother you at all that you're Fire Nation as well?" Sokka grumbled, his eyes still downcast and appearing, for all intents and purposes, uninterested in the bender's answer.

With a laugh Azzan shook his head, "Absolutely not! Sure I'm Fire Nation, but that's about as far as my devotion to them goes now. I did everything they asked of me for my entire life but at the first sign of a disturbance—like having a wife who's never even _seen_ the North or South poles—they throw me under the boat. Fuck them!"

There was a hearty laugh from the table behind them before the majority of its inhabitants barked, "Hear hear! Fuck the Fire Nation!"

There was a sharp crack and a spike of heat as one of the guards formed a flame whip and snapped it toward the offending table, "Hey, earth nation trash, keep your mouths shut and show some respect for your betters! The next idiot I hear mocking the Fire Nation gets a one-on-one firebending session with me—"

"With you? That's it? I can take you ya little pint sized fuck!" interrupted one of the earth natives—who seemed to be a hulking mass of muscle—getting up from the table and cracking his knuckles threateningly, "Come on, bring it!"

"Oh boy, now you did it Az," Tor sighed, putting his face in his hands.

"Sorry…I guess I got a little worked up, huh?" Azzan apologized halfheartedly, his eyes watching the impending fight carefully and with a significant amount of concern, though for who remained to be seen.

"You think you're a big shot just because you got your pretty little fire whip don't ya? Well I'm not even a bender and I can take you out with one hand tied behind my back!"

The guard didn't even flinch, "Is that so? Well…so be it then."

Another guard came up behind the earth national and roughly grabbed his left wrist with one hand and his elbow with the other and, without so much as a warning, forced the man's elbow forward sharply until an angry cracking sound filled the air.

"AHHH! My _arm_! What the fuck is your problem? I said _tied_ behind my back not _broken_! Oh fuck….dammit!" The man had paled considerably and his eyes were wide as he screamed, his arm dangling at an awkward angle by his side. He was hesitant to grab it in fear of the pain so he turned toward his opponent, unaware of the flames that were already speeding his way.

That seemed to do it for Azzan.

Faster than the three at the table could blink, he was in front of the earth prisoner, his eyes hard and angry. Effortlessly he caught the torrid blast and appeared to take it in straight through his chest before his arms shot out, the flames completely dissipated.

The silence in the room was deafening. No one moved, no one spoke—they just stared in shocked silence, not sure what exactly was going to happen.

"Well well well," said a deep voice from above, "firebending Azzan…in the dining hall no less. I would have expected better of a former Captain of the Fire Nation army. Then again you've broken the rules by associating with trash before, haven't you?"

Everyone's attention was drawn to the man at the top of the stairs as he slowly made his way down, his hands clasped behind his back and a condescending look on his face. He was dressed in an ornate version of the prison guard armor and on his head sat a helmet that solidified his status.

The Warden of the Boiling Rock stopped right in front of Azzan and stared straight into his eyes. Defiant unyielding amber met cold, merciless brown. The Warden sneered, "Tell me Azzan have you heard from your wife since you've been in here? Surely that water tribe whore would have tried to keep in touch with you, what with a baby on the way. No? Well _I've_ heard from her…or rather I've heard of her fate; would you like to hear it?"

At the mention of his wife Azzan's stance, once calm and composed, turned tense and eager. His eyes had blazed in fury at the man's insult, but he managed not to lash out because he desperately wanted _any_ news of his wife and his daughter.

"Yes, I can see it in your eyes that you want to know," he chuckled darkly, the sound eerie as it echoed around the silent room, "Very well, I'll tell you. The day that you were shipped off to the colonies, word reached the generals that one of their most trusted captains had breached protocol and married a filthy peasant from one of the water tribes.

"Being off the Boiling Rock at the time, I was able to witness as each of the families of every captain were sought out and brought before the Fire Lord for questioning. When they finally brought in your wife it was completely obvious. Only water tribe peasants have such…distinguishing features: tan skin, brown hair and of course those bright blue eyes."

Azzan clenched his fists tightly trying with all his might to maintain control; it wouldn't do anyone any good if he lost his cool. He swallowed thickly bowing his head to try and stave off his rising temper.

And he wasn't the only one affected.

Zuko was watching with wide panicked eyes, his mind only thinking of Katara. He was in nearly the exact same situation as Azzan and the similarities shook him to his core.

The Warden continued undaunted, "She fell on her knees in front of the Fire Lord and begged him to have mercy, to spare her because she had just given birth to a baby girl! HA! As if the Fire Lord would show mercy to a filthy, lowly, insignificant peasant!" he laughed again, a mocking look in his brown eyes, "Hadn't she seen what the Fire Lord considered mercy when he burned and banished his own son?

"She was still crying when he ordered her execution. She was burned alive in front of hundreds of witnesses—the eradication of water peasants within the Fire Nation was complete with her death. And the baby…well Fire Lord Ozai took great pleasure in disposing of her personally. I think it reminded him of sending his own son off on a fool's errand in the hopes that he would die only with a more…_satisfactory_ end."

There was blood seeping out of Azzan's palms now, his body shaking with rage at the revelation he'd just received.

His wife…burned alive. His daughter—he'd had a _daughter_—murdered before she could even comprehend the world around her or why her life was being so cruelly snuffed out. Two soft _thumps_ sounded through the room and, as Azzan raised his head, everyone saw the silent tears that were running down his face. His eyes shone with pure, unadulterated hate and his fists came alive with the hellish light of angry flames.

Before he could lash out however, a hand clapped on his shoulder and spun him away from the Warden. He met the golden eyes and understanding face of the banished prince.

"Don't do it Azzan…not now. Assaulting him and getting a death sentence is no way to avenge your wife or daughter. Trust me—seeking solace in killing him won't bring you peace, especially since he wasn't the one who had your family put to death."

Zuko's words seemed to reach the enraged man's ears as his shoulders slumped in defeat and the fire faded from his hands. The prince breathed in relief and gave his shoulder a consoling squeeze, "For what it's worth _I'm_ sorry about what has happened…I wish I could have done _something_ to stop my father."

Though whispered, it seemed Zuko's words had reached the Warden's ears, "Prince Zuko? The Scarred Disgrace of the Fire Nation…in _my_ prison? But," he looked into the golden eyes of the royal, searching his face, "what happened—where's your scar?"

He turned to the closest guard, the one who'd instigated the fight, and shouted at him, "Why wasn't I informed of his arrival? Why am I only finding out about this _now_?"

Jumping slightly at his superior's ferocity the guard saluted, "Sir Princess Azula brought him and a water tribe boy in earlier this evening sir! We haven't had time to inform you before now sir!"

"What?" the Warden's face paled abruptly and his entire demeanor changed, "Princess Azula is _here_? Now?"

"Yes Warden, I am. Do you have a problem with my presence?" Azula's voice cut through the room easily, her question obviously rhetorical.

"O-of course not Princess," he replied as he fell to his knees his voice wavering, "I was merely d-disappointed that I could not meet you as you arrived Your Highness."

"Yes well, you _should_ have been informed a week ago via messenger hawk. My father sent word then that I was arriving within the week to do a routine security check to ensure that your flawless record stay intact. Luckily, I caught my dear brother here sneaking around outside and decided to bring him along." She smiled dangerously as her eyes found Zuko's, "Which reminds me Zuzu—it's time for your interrogation. Guards!"

Figuring things were going to just get worse, the ex-prince didn't even bother to fight the two firebender's that grabbed on to his arms and forced his wrists into shackles. They led him out of the room followed closely by Azula who called nonchalantly over her shoulder, "Warden, I'd advise you to clean up the mess in there as soon as possible; I don't like when things are untidy."

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Another wave of nausea hit full force and it was all Katara could do to make it out to the shore and into the water before she lost her breakfast. Hunched over and heaving, she couldn't remember _ever_ feeling like this in her entire life. With a groan of frustration she scooped some water into her mouth, grimacing as the taste of salt canceled out the bile.

"You okay Sweetness?"

Opening her eyes, Katara found Toph kneeling beside her, concern etched on her face. With a small smile, which she imagined probably looked more like a grimace, she nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine Toph just a little morning sickness."

The smaller girl laughed a little before it faded off as she stared sightlessly out over the horizon, something obviously weighing on her mind. "Do you think," she began, her eyes never leaving the slowly rising sun, "do you think Zuko and Sokka are alright? Do you think they got Suki out safely?"

The waterbender frowned as she thought about her boyfriend and brother; it had been three days since they had left so nothing could be amiss yet, at least that was what she told herself.

"Yeah, I think they're fine Toph. They're…they're probably on their way back right now. It is a two day trip after all, remember?"

With a smirk, the earthbender turned toward her and punched her softly on the shoulder, "You're a horrible liar Sweetness you know that right?" Both girls giggled uncontrollably, glad for the temporary distraction that the question had provided them.

Toph leaned against Katara's side and let out a small sigh, "Do you ever feel like this is all a dream? Like at any moment you're gonna wake up and things are going to go back to how they used to be?"

Katara frowned again, "What do you mean?"

The blind girl shivered involuntarily, wrapping her arms around her body in an effort to stave off the non-existent chill, "Sometimes…I walk around camp and I half expect Twinkletoes to pop out from behind Appa or to be playing around with Momo on his glider! That his death and the Fire Nation's new attempt at genocide are just a crazy nightmare that I can't seem to wake up from! And then I keep thinking that everything _good_ that's happened since then is just going to fall apart!"

Her voice was slowly breaking and, looking down, Katara saw the unshed tears shining in her eyes, "Toph…oh Toph why didn't you say something before?" She pulled the trembling girl into her arms, "Zuko and I have talked about the same thing a lot over the last few weeks. How is it fair that we can be happy when Aang isn't here anymore?"

She felt Toph nod into her shoulder and tightened her hold on the bender, "What you have to understand Toph, and believe me when I say it took awhile to sink in, is that you can't stop living because you've lost someone you love. Life doesn't stop just because tragedies befall you and, more than likely, you aren't the only one who's suffering. You have to learn to appreciate the good things and those that are still with you for as long as you can because you never know what's going to happen."

"I just…I-I've never felt more loved, more _wanted_, in my entire life than I have in the last month and the thought that the Fire Nation wants to destroy everything _I've_ come to love," Toph shuddered and buried her face even deeper into Katara's shoulder as she tried to stop the tears from falling, "it scares me so much more than anything ever has before—even more than going completely blind without my bending sight!

"If anything happened to you or Sokka or Zuko…I don't think you understand exactly _how much_ I need all of you! How much each of you matters to me; I love you guys like you're my family because…because you _are_ my family!"

Katara stroked the frantic girl's hair soothingly and placed a soft kiss on top of her head, "Shh Toph, just relax. Everything is going to be fine, ok?"

"H-how do you know Sweetness? How do you know?" Toph whispered worriedly.

"Because even if something _does_ happen, those we lose never truly _leave _us. There's an old water tribe lullaby that I remember my mother used to sing to me when it was time to go to bed. I had an irrational fear that if I went to sleep I'd wake up and my family would be gone and I would be alone. But she would just hold me close, like how I have you, and stroke my hair softly and sing…and it would work. I would go to sleep, safe in my mother's arms and wake up to another bright new day."

"How does it go, the song I mean?" Toph asked softly, her tears beginning to dry.

"_Come cry no more little child,_

"_Do not worry on things you cannot change,_

"_Cry not for what has passed,_

"_Weep no more on things to come,_

"_Worry not, for I am always with you."_

The melody was soft and slow with easy inflections that immediately set Toph at ease. Katara's low timbre sent a constant, comforting vibration through the earthbender's lax body acting as a soothing massage.

"_Though days may come when I am far from home,_

"_I will be there, a comfort in your heart,_

"_To steady all you fears and calm your shaking breath,_

"_Worry not, for I am always with you."_

Again the melody flowed simply, in no rush to run into sudden changes. Katara continued to stroke Toph's hair in tandem with the rhythm as the girl's milky eyes fluttered closed.

"_And come the day when all hope seems lost,_

"_When you have no one to stay with you,_

"_You're not alone, fear not your foes advances,_

"_For I am here, yes always here,"_

A soft build up led to a deceptive end and Katara lingered on it for a moment as her thoughts flashed back to her own mother singing the same song to her. Toph's black hair was replaced with her own brown locks and she was nuzzled into the crook of her mother's neck once more.

Blinking rapidly to quell the coming tears Katara swallowed thickly, praying she wouldn't choke out the final words.

"_Worry not, for I am always with you."_

She took a deep breath as she finished and glanced down to the small, fragile looking girl in her arms. A soft smile broke out on her face as she saw her eyes closed and felt the deep, even breathing of sleep.

"'Sleep now little child,'" she quoted in a whisper, "'for I am always with you.'"

Toph seemed to snuggle deeper into her embrace at the words and settled, with a content sigh, in the crook of Katara's neck. This time the waterbender couldn't stop the flow of tears at the familiarity of it all and she nearly broke down then and there.

Someone sat down softly beside her and she looked over to see her father looking back at her with a watery smile of his own, his eyes shining with pride and adoration.

"I used to listen to your mother sing that song to you every night when you were little," he told her in a low voice, "You've got her voice you know; she sang just like you do. Her singing was enough to silence even your brother's little tantrums and that's no easy feat." Hakoda stared at her for a moment as he took in the scene in front of him, "You're going to be an incredible mother Katara, whether you believe it or not."

No longer concerned with her tears, Katara gave him a bright smile, "I love you daddy and thank you."

Suddenly the daunting prospect of a child seemed just a little bit more appealing.

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"I'm glad to see that you've resigned yourself to your fate Zuzu," Azula taunted from her position in front of her brother, "now all that's left is for you to tell me what I want to know so that we can end this boring game of cat and mouse."

Zuko's brow creased as he frowned, "You actually think I'm going to tell you anything? Really Azula, I thought you knew me better than that."

"Oh I do brother, I do."

Though he couldn't see her face Zuko could hear the confident, conniving smirk in her voice and it immediately set off warning bells inside his head. Despite the feeling of foreboding, he continued to talk, trying to gauge what exactly Azula had up her sleeve. Unfortunately, Azula beat him to it.

"I know that you and that savage are here to try and save the Kyoshi Warrior Zuzu and I can tell you now that it's not going to work," she mocked turning her head at her sibling's sharp intake of breath, "Surprised dear brother? It was painfully obvious the minute I caught you two sneaking around up top; who else would that idiot want to save from here?"

A soft growl made its way past Zuko's lips and Azula laughed, "Come now brother you didn't really think you could fool me like that, did you? I thought you knew _me_ better than that!"

They stopped in front of a large metal door, plain save for the sliding metal latch that locked it from the outside. The princess lazily flipped the catch and pulled open the cumbersome door easily, entering first before ordering the guards to sit him down in a chair in the center of the room.

Glancing around as they followed his sister's orders, Zuko noticed that the room was plain save for two chairs on either side of a large stone table atop which sat a small wooden box, and sheltered a couple of barrels of water beneath it. The only source of light in the room was a small torch that illuminated the table and chairs in a faint circle, leaving the rest in darkness.

Once he was secured Azula dismissed the guards telling them to wait outside the door and keep it locked.

"When we're done in here I'll knock three times and you can open it, but _not_ until then. Understoond?"

"Yes princess!"

"Good, now get out of here; I've got some things to discuss with my big brother."

With a resounding _clang! _and the ominous sound of the metal latch being slipped into place, Azula focused her gaze once more on her brother, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Well Zuzu it looks like it's just me and you here all alone. Now I'm sure you know how interrogations work, correct?" she didn't bother waiting for a reply, "Of course you do! The more forthcoming you are with information, the sooner you're back you'll be done with the questioning. Is that simple enough for you brother dear?"

Zuko sent her a vicious scowl that caused the girl to laugh maliciously, her amber orbs glinting with unsuppressed excitement.

"First thing's first Zuzu; is the Avatar still alive? Most of the Fire Nation is convinced that I put an end to him in the Catacombs of Ba Sing Se but I'd like to be certain so that we don't have any _more_ surprise visits from little bald flying monks."

He didn't answer or give anything away on his face, but inside his mind was buzzing with questions.

Why would Azula be doubting her kill? Hadn't she seen the bolt of lighting slam into Aang's back? Hadn't she seen the small boy plummet to the ground and not move?

"Come now Zuko, it isn't nice to ignore someone when they ask a question. Is the Avatar still alive?" Though she was asking patiently, there was a subtle shift in the musculature of her face, an almost unnoticeable twitch at her eye.

With a smirk, Zuko laughed, "What's the matter sis? Afraid you didn't do the job you that you told father you did? Are you afraid that you've lied to the almighty _Fire Lord_? You know the penalty for lying to the Fire Lord and you're scared that you might have sealed your doom."

In the blink of an eye a sharp pain erupted on the left side of Zuko's face. Azula's hand had shot out as she raked her nails along his cheek, a small trickle of blood making its way out of the fresh wounds.

"Shut up!" she growled, a dangerous snarl flying across her features, "Of course I did the job! _I_ know that the Avatar is dead, but father wants me to put any rumors saying the contrary to rest. You know kill any traces of hope the masses might still have."

Azula gathered herself once more, her poise coming back to her just a quickly as it had left, "I'll ask you one more time Zuzu before I have to get serious: is the Avatar _dead_?" When she didn't get an answer the girl sighed, resigned, "I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this Zuko, but you not answering has left me no choice. Mai! Ty Lee!" she called, looking into the darkened corners of the room.

The two girls in question materialized out of the black, Mai with her usual dispassionate expression and Ty Lee with a slightly strained smile on her face. Both girls gave Zuko a brief glance before looking to Azula.

"Bring out the coffin."

The pair vanished into one of the darkened corners of the room and there was the sound of a heavy object being pushed into the small circle of light. It was a large box made of wood roughly the same size as Zuko if not a little bit bigger and covered in what looked to be black leather. It had a single hole in the door but was otherwise plain.

Azula walked forward and pulled the door to the coffin open, reaching in and extracting several large metal chains, each one made up of thick links that rattled ominously. Holding them out to the acrobat she grinned,

"If you would Ty Lee. Mai, get the other side."

The circus performer nodded walking over to Zuko and jabbed him a few times, cutting off his chi flow and—by extension—his bending before taking the chains and, once her friends had lifted the box, flipped easily to the top where she proceeded to hook the irons through two of the attaching links on both the box and the ceiling.

Jumping back down, the brown haired girl gave her superior a weak smile, "All done Azula!"

"Good," turning back toward her brother she sneered, "put this useless traitor in there until he's ready to talk."

The two girls unshackled the prince and, with one of his hands held by each girl, quickly shoved him into the box. They turned him around so that he was facing the door and he saw, once again, the strained look on Ty Lee's face and—if he dared to believe it—a small frown on Mai's.

"What is this Azula?" Zuko asked, unconcerned with what she seemed to be planning, "Are you going to make me disappear now? Is that your big plan to get me to talk?"

A vicious gleam lit up her eyes as a smug smile tore at the corners of her lips, "On the contrary Zuzu—you won't be going _anywhere_."

With that she closed the door and Zuko was enveloped in darkness, save for the tiny hole that allowed the weak torchlight to filter in. A sharp clicking sound told him that Azula had locked the door. He tried to move into a more comfortable position but found himself unable to; the box, though it looked relatively large on the outside, was completely restrictive. He could hardly move his fingers and his head had even less room to maneuver.

A small shiver went up his spine as he realized that his sister was exploiting one of his childhood fears: enclosed spaces.

"Do you remember when we were younger Zuzu," Azula began, her voice dripping sweetness, "and you got locked in the linen closet all day? You screamed and screamed but no one heard you because of the festival going on outside. No one seemed to care that little Prince Zuko was nowhere to be found. And that closet was small wasn't it Zuzu?"

Zuko swallowed thickly inside the box, his heart rate climbing and his breathing speeding up; he _hated_ this. And Azula's retelling of one of his more traumatizing events from his childhood was not helping at all.

"It was dark in that closet wasn't it Zuko; dark and hot with absolutely no way to get out unless someone came by to save you? You couldn't even bend your way out because you were so pathetic, not even a little spark," she laughed darkly.

"Come on brother, just tell me what I want to know and I'll let you out of the coffin. Unless you'd rather spend all day in there again…you know, for old time's sake. '_Hello? Is anybody out there? Please help me! PLEASE! I'm so scared! Help!_'" she mocked him mercilessly, an evil laugh leaving her throat.

Zuko tried to calm himself down, he just needed to relax that was what the royal healer had told him all those years ago.

"Think wide open spaces Zuko, wide open spaces," he whispered to himself, taking a shaky breath, "You're fine, just breathe…"

"No Zuzu," Azula's voice was soft but still managed to carry into his prison, "you're not."

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The next morning found Sokka sitting with his head resting on crossed arms and his back against the wall of his cell, tired blue eyes sunken and worried.

Zuko hadn't come back at all last night and he hadn't slept a wink.

He didn't want to think of what Azula was putting her brother through but he knew that it couldn't be good especially if she was holding him over night. He did know that Zuko wouldn't break easily though; the guy was tough as nails.

Thankfully the first hour of 'yard time' was coming up and Sokka could talk to Azzan and Ton and ask them whether or not a day's absence was a normal occurrence when dealing with an interrogation.

"And maybe I can actually talk to Suki today," he grumbled to himself still a little put out that his attempt yesterday in the courtyard had been foiled and he hadn't seen her at dinner, "La…maybe I should just find her _before_ Azzan and Ton, I just have to be careful when I talk to her—can't draw too much attention."

By the time the guard came in and opened their cells, Sokka was set on finding the Kyoshi warrior and immediately made his way toward cell block B. His eyes were darting back and forth among all the faces just as they had the day before, only this time he kept his body in check.

"Come on where are you Suki?" he whispered to himself, "Don't make me climb on anybody else to find you again, _please_!"

All of a sudden there was a pain in his shoulder and he was thrown to the floor landing hard on his rear. "Ow! Hey, come on can't you watch where the heck you're going you jerk?"

The lack of a response caused him to look up curiously; as far as he'd gathered from dinner yesterday, this wasn't exactly the place where you threw around insults lightly.

Stunned blue-grey eyes met disbelieving cerulean.

"S-Sokka?"

Sokka could only stare in shock, "Suki…"

Her russet colored hair fell to her shoulders though some of it was pulled back into a loose ponytail, her small nose gently giving way to lush ruby lips. There was a genuine smile slowly crossing those lips and she immediately jumped on him, hugging the boy close.

And, despite all the warnings and talk of _not_ making a scene, Sokka pulled her tightly against him. He could feel the eyes of several people on the two of them, but he couldn't really bring himself to care.

He'd found Suki, she was safe in his arms, and he suddenly couldn't remember ever feeling happier.

"I knew you'd come," she whispered, her voice slightly muffled from where she had nestled her face into his neck, "though, I had hoped you'd be getting me _out_ instead of getting yourself stuck _in_." He felt her grin however before she pulled away, eyes shining as the tears spilled down her face "But I can live with this."

And she kissed him.

Their surroundings seemed to melt away; all those watching them became insignificant, the courtyard disappeared and nothing mattered to either of them but the other.

Suddenly Sokka felt himself being roughly wrenched away from Suki, a hand grabbing him forcefully by the collar. He tried to fight off the appendage and get back to Suki, who was staring behind him with an odd look on her face, but he couldn't break the hold.

"Calm down," Azzan's deep voice soothed, "it's just me Sokka, relax."

The boy complied though he could still feel his heart pounding, "Would you mind explaining to me why you separated me from Suki?"

Azzan sighed, "I told you yesterday Sokka, you can't just go around and kiss her in public like that. It's dangerous." He glanced around them where several people were still openly watching and talking in whispers, "You guys put on quite a display and now you've got _everyone _a little miffed…especially the guards."

Sure enough, as Sokka looked around he noticed that there was a huddle of guards atop one of the many walls overlooking the courtyard, their gazes fixed on the trio.

Suki came to stand beside Sokka, a scowl on her face, "Fuck them. I've been locked up in here for nearly a month, they are _not_ going to dictate the _good_ things in my life." She grabbed Sokka's hand defiantly.

With a frustrated growl Azzan gave in, "Fine, fine; ignore the older and wiser firebender—who has more experience with these kinds of situations than either of you mind—and let your love shine! I'm sure it's going to be _just_ the spark needed to ignite the flame of rebellion within these desolate walls!"

The former captain stomped away, muttering to himself at the naiveté of the couple and how they were going to regret their open display of affection.

"What the heck is wrong with him today?" Suki asked, her eyes alight with concern, "I've never seen Azzan so…volatile before."

"Last night at dinner The Warden…_informed _him of what had become of his family. His wife was of Water Tribe descent, which is why he's in here in the first place, and the Fire Lord found out." Sokka paused and ran a hand over his face, "She was publicly executed: burned alive. But that's not even the worst of it."

Her eyes already welling with unshed tears, the Kyoshi Warrior could hardly bring herself to ask her next question, "W-what do you mean?"

Biting his lip to try and steady himself Sokka elaborated, "She was pregnant Suki. She had just given birth to a baby girl and they…she was brought before the Fire Lord and he—"

Though his voice broke and he didn't finish his sentence, Suki could see where he was going with it, "No…" Her heart went out to the firebending prisoner as she buried her face in Sokka's chest once again, "How could he…that _monster_! An innocent _child_!"

"I know," Sokka whispered hollowly, "I know."

He held her close as he tried to soothe away her tears. Finally the warrior managed to stem the tears, sniffling softly as she pulled away from her boyfriend, "We have to find him Sokka he needs someone right now."

The water tribe warrior nodded, "He's probably with Ton. Besides, I need to ask him if Zuko being gone overnight is normal for an interrogation session."

Suki's head snapped toward the tan skinned fighter, "Zuko? As in the same jackass who _burnt my village to the ground_?"

Sokka gulped, "Uh yeah…heh funny story about that."

Glaring dangerously the russet haired girl growled, "Explain. _NOW_!"

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A/N: There you have it folks! My favorite scene in this whole chapter was the Katara/Toph moment in the middle. I literally had to stop myself from having a mini-breakdown when I reread it. For some reason I had an emotional upheaval writing it and it kind of moved me. Anyway I hope you guys enjoyed it! As always reviews, comments, critiques and any other form of feedback are more than welcome! Til next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Ladies and Gentlemen I am _so_ sorry that it's taken so long for this update! School has been one hell of a pain in the ass lately and I've hardly been able to get any writing done.

That being said, I want to thank you all for reading and reviewing because, without you, writers would become extinct!

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar!

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Chapter 14- Betrayal

_The halls of the Fire Nation Royal Palace were alive with activity as the servants flew back and forth, frantically getting things ready for the evening's celebrations. It was the day of the Fire Festival in honor of Agni and the gift of life that he had bestowed upon his people. The festival was a celebration that began late in the evening and ended just as the sun rose; the perfect example of the eternal cycle of life made possible by the Fire Nation god. _

_Amidst the ruckus the eight year old son of the Fire Lord was busy trying to keep himself focused on his current task: finding his sister's hiding place. Because to be quite honest, the young boy was sick and tired of losing their games of hide and seek to his baby sister. _

_He had searched almost every inch of the Royal Palace and there was only this last wing left. Unfortunately, it was the storage wing and that meant that there were more rooms and closets here than any other place in the entire palace._

"_Let's see," he mumbled, looking around the corner stealthily in case his sister was keeping a lookout, "if I were Azula where would I hide?" _

_He pondered the question for a little longer, his face scrunching up in concentration as nothing came to him. With a frustrated growl he made his way down the hall, deciding to go with the simplest approach: opening any and all doors one by one and hoping they would yield his sister's hiding place. _

_Zuko was so caught up in his search that he didn't notice when the number of servants began to dwindle and the sounds of activity slowly faded into nothing. _

_It wasn't until he had crawled into one of the smaller linen closets—more like a cupboard really—and his ability to see became almost non-existent that he realized the sun outside had set. _

"_Aw man!" Zuko grumbled in defeat, "Now I won't be able to see Azula even if I _do_ find her!" He bit his lip in thought, "I can't believe she won _again_!"_

_Then out of nowhere, the door to the closet slammed shut behind him and what little light the torches in the hallway had provided vanished, leaving the young prince in complete darkness. _

_Startled, Zuko blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the sudden change in light. Puzzled as to how the door had closed by itself, he was about to crawl back and leave when he heard the telltale _click!_ of the lock catching in place. _

_His eyes shot open and he went to stand up, "Wai—OW!" Apparently there was a lot less room in the closet than he'd originally thought. Now nursing what was sure to be a sizeable welt, Zuko cautiously attempted to get a feel for exactly how much room he had while shouting at the top of his lungs, "HELLO? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?"_

_He had virtually no room to stand; he might have been able to kneel but even that was pushing it. Crawling on his hands and knees Zuko was able to turn himself around so that he was facing the door. _

"_HELLO? I THINK…I THINK I'VE BEEN LOCKED IN THE CLOSET!" _

_Despite his shouts it seemed no one had heard him and, as he pushed on the door, his worst fear was confirmed. _

_He was locked in. _

"_Agni how do I manage to get into these situations?" the boy groaned, his face in his hands and a small trickle of sweat running down his face from the temperature of the enclosed room. _

"_SOMEONE? ANYONE? HELP ME!" _

_The only response he got was the deafening silence that permeated the room and darkness that seemed to pulse within his very eyes. _

"_I guess I just have to wait until someone…comes by," Zuko muttered with a sigh. He pulled his knees into his chest resigned to his fate, "I wish I'd never agreed to play this stupid game again." _

_He lost track of time as he sat in the black, alone. He wondered if Azula was even hiding anymore but he snorted almost immediately at the thought, "She probably never even hid in the first place. I bet she's enjoying herself down at the festival." _

_Something moved off in the darkness brushing by Zuko's foot. His breath hitching, the prince struggled to move as far away from his unknown assailant as possible. Heart beating erratically he flung himself at the door, his fists pounding against it frantically._

"_SOMEBODY HELP ME! PLEASE! THERE'S SOMETHING IN HERE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! PLEASE!"_

_The sweat was pouring off of him now as he fought with the door, desperately trying to get out. He kicked out at where the sound had come from and made contact with something soft. There was a loud crack and Zuko felt the satisfying crunch of something giving way beneath the force of his attack. _

_And then he felt and heard several more…_somethings_ shuffle around his feet. Something had caught on to his leg and wasn't making any moves to get off or let go._

"_Nonononono!" Zuko whimpered as he swatted at his legs, eyes wide and terrified but unable to see anything in the all-encompassing darkness, "HELP ME PLEASE!" _

_He finally managed to get whatever it was off of himself and he once again brought his knees to his chest and closing his eyes tight, his breathing ragged and disjointed, "I wish I could bend right now I really really _really_ wish I could bend right now! I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here, I _do not_ want to be here!" _

_He tried to make a flame in his hand, just like he'd seen his father do so many times but there wasn't even a hint of a spark. With a sinking feeling Zuko realized that what he'd heard his father say about him was true; he was a failure. A pathetic, useless waste of space that was "lucky to be born." _

_When the tears started to fall he wiped at them angrily, ashamed to be crying _again. _Why couldn't he be the brave, capable warrior that his father wanted him to be? Why couldn't he be more like Azula who was capable of doing _anything_ by just watching someone first? Did Agni really hate him so much that he would end him before he had even managed to gain his father's respect? _

_All of a sudden whatever had been attacking him didn't matter anymore. He just wanted to get _out_ of this Agni forsaken closet and go to sleep in his mother's arms! He didn't even want to join in the festival and stuff his face with all the different foods and sweets that were present at the celebration. _

_He just wanted his mother._

_His back was screaming at him now from being in the same position for so long but he had no choice: the little space he did have was barely enough to allow him to stretch out. He had long since shed his celebratory robes as his own body heat and all of his frantic movements from hours before had caused the room to reach extremely uncomfortable temperatures. He was going to have to get his entire outfit washed because he was sweating so much. _

_Finally, _finally_, he felt a stirring within himself and he felt his hopes come rushing back. _

_The sun was rising!_

_Ignoring the pull of sleep and brushing off his fatigue he began pounding on the door relentlessly determined that this time he was going to get out. _

"_HELLO? IS ANYBODY OUT THERE? PLEASE HELP ME! PLEASE! I'M SO SCARED! HELP!" _

_His voice was raw and scratchy but he persisted and he could feel the knuckles of his fists begin to peel and bleed. _

"_I want my mom I want my mom," he whimpered hysterically, tears falling freely down his face, "MOMMA! MOMMA HELP ME PLEASE!" _

_Then he heard a click and the door was opening. Warm rays of sunlight filtered into the room and fresh, cool air flooded his lungs. He crawled out of the closet, his joints popping and cracking from lack of use and his eyes protesting violently against the onslaught of so much light, and curled up into a ball as soon as he was out._

_Above him he heard shouts of people giving orders and the rustle of feet as others bolted to and fro around him, but he didn't care. He just wanted his mother. _

"_Momma momma momma momma momma," he cried softly to himself, "I want momma, I want momma please!" _

_And then she was there taking him into her arms and whispering soothing words into his ear, rocking him back and forth gently as she tried to calm him down. _

"_Shh my darling I'm here now. Momma's here now, everything is fine. Shh." _

_Shaking uncontrollably, Zuko burrowed himself deep into his mother's embrace, "M-momma momma momma," he sobbed. He clutched tightly to the front of her robes, trying to get as close to her as possible. _

"_I'm here darling, momma's here. Sleep now Zuko, rest; I won't leave you."_

_As his mother spoke Zuko's stamina gave out, the events of the past few hours leaving him utterly and completely exhausted. His eyes falling shut, he let out one last "momma" before he drifted off to the steady hum of his mother's voice._

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"Rise and shine Zuzu!"

There was a loud _clang!_ that reverberated through the confines of Zuko's prison making his head pound in agony. With a pained groan Zuko managed to open his eyes though he was met with only the deafening darkness of his prison.

"How was your sleep brother? Comfortable?" Azula's voice grated in his head eliciting a sharp hiss from the prince, his eyes snapping shut to try and stem the rush of pain the sound brought on. "I think you've been in there long enough Zuzu, don't you? Three days really is pushing a person's limits, even for someone as stubborn as you."

If he had thought his sister's voice tormenting, it was nothing compared to the throbbing agony that assaulted his senses when she opened the door.

Though it was only torchlight, the flames were bright enough to send jolting pain shooting every which way in his head, "Ahhh fuck!" he cried his hands, now free of their confinement, shot up to try and ease his aching head. At least that was what they were _supposed_ to do.

Fear settled into his heart as he tried again to lift his arms but wound up with the same result.

"W-what's…what's'rong with me?" he slurred almost drunkenly. As he spoke Zuko realized that his arms weren't the only parts of his body that weren't doing what they were told. His face and mouth felt heavy—which was most likely the cause of his current speech impediment—and there was almost no feeling in his legs. "What d-did you do?"

His legs gave out before Azula could respond and he crashed to the floor, his head cracking on the unyielding stone as his arms fell uselessly at his sides.

"Aw, is little Zuzu having trouble moving? It's a pity this won't last more than an hour or so; it took so long to get you looking like that!"

Zuko stared at her uncomprehendingly.

With a fiendish smirk she called over her shoulder, "Ty Lee, bring me the mirror. Let's show my traitor of a brother there are so many different ways to disfigure someone than a simple scar."

The usually perky acrobat came forward, albeit reluctantly, a small mirror in her hands. Wordlessly she passed it off to Azula and stepped back, her eyes now tearing up with unabashed concern for the former prince.

"Here, take a look. This is what happens to all those who stand in the way of the Fire Nation; they become _hideous_. But you already knew that didn't you?" There was no sympathy in her voice—there hadn't been since she was a small child—only gleeful anticipation.

She held the mirror in front of him and he finally saw himself.

His face was red and puffy, his eyes nearly swollen shut. For a moment he thought Azula had scarred him again, had given him back the mark that had defined him for so long. But then he noticed that his lips were just as bad as his face and, slowly tilting his head to look down at his arms, he saw that both limbs were ballooned as well.

"See how _disgusting_ you look Zuzu? How much of a _freak_ you are?" she laughed maniacally, her golden eyes taking on a crazed look, "Poor little Zuzu, you don't even know how you got like this do you? If you hadn't knocked out from the panic attack you had in the first hour you would know that you've been suspended in the coffin in every possible direction: straight up, laying down, slanted, upside down. We even spun you around for a half hour or so.

"But personally I got tired of waiting for you to wake up after three hours so I had you set upside down and…well," she shrugged, "you came out looking like this! You remind me of those chocolate pastries you were so fond of when we were younger; they had to sit out for a few days before they were ready to eat. Who knew that all there was to getting a _rise_ out of you would be to dangle you upside down?"

Now Zuko could feel a stinging sensation running all over his numb body as the pins and needles seemed to intensify, his limbs slowly but surely regaining feeling. It seemed his _disfigurement_ would remedy itself as it was just a lot of swelling, but Zuko couldn't help it as he flinched away from his reflection.

"Why?"

His question sounded pathetic even to his own ears. He hadn't even really intended to ask it; his sister's reasoning was too far gone for him to even try to comprehend. But there was a rush of emotion that washed over him as he stared defiantly up into Azula's harsh amber eyes—his _mother's_ eyes—and suddenly he found tears pricking the corners of his own golden orbs.

How had they come to this? How had they managed to go from brother and sister—a relationship that _should_ have developed into an incredible bond—to bitter enemies fighting on different sides of a war that was never theirs to begin with?

But despite Azula's lust for battle and her borderline psychotic devotion to their father, Zuko couldn't find it in his heart to hate her even after everything she had done.

He loved her.

He loved her because she was his sister. He loved her because she looked just like their mother. And he loved her because she was family.

There was the smallest of flickers in the princess's glowing depths but it was gone as swiftly as it had come, cloaked behind the look of crazed satisfaction she bore so often.

"Why? You want to know why I'm doing this Zuzu?" she knelt down next to him and grabbed his hair, effortlessly lifting his head, "I'm doing this because you've lost yourself and your values! You let uncle's traitorous ramblings and delusional philosophies cloud your judgment!

"And now you're traveling with the Avatar and his merry little band of freedom fighters! You've betrayed your nation, your family, father a-and—" her voice caught briefly and a fleeting agony flashed through her gaze before she gathered herself, though her voice was softer, almost as if she was completely sure of what she was saying, "and this is no less than what you deserve! All who oppose the Fire Nation are destined for this same fate!"

She released his head and got up, walking over to the stone table and running her hands along the small box that sat upon it, "Mai, Ty Lee…put him in the chair and tie him up."

As she turned around Zuko saw that her confident smirk was back in place and there was steel behind her eyes, "It's time my dear brother the was introduced to The Heretic's Fork." Opening the box in her hands, Azula withdrew a crude collar like device from within. It was adorned with two wicked looking prongs on either end that seemed to beg for blood.

Her two subordinates came from the shadows and dragged him to the chair, tying him up with guilt written on their faces. Ty Lee was biting her lip hard probably wishing she could be anywhere but here at the moment and Mai was looking everywhere but at Zuko.

Once they had him secured Azula stepped forward, "Now Zuzu we're going to go back to the questions to see if your time in the coffin has given you a better perspective on your position against me."

She hooked the collar around his neck and positioned the two prongs; one pressing lightly against the top of his chest and the other digging into the bottom of his chin just above his throat. The way she had set it up forced Zuko to tense his jaw and neck in order to keep the sharpened ends from piercing his skin.

"You'll find talking to be…exceedingly painful, so I'd prefer you just blink. One for "yes" and two for "no", understood?" He blinked twice, "Good. Now: _where is the Avatar_?"

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"So it's been _three days_ since Zuko got taken in," Sokka sighed running a hand through his hair as he looked at Azzan, Ton and Suki in turn, "and I don't know if he's coming back."

The group was once again in the courtyard awaiting the call to dinner. They had managed to maintain a semblance of privacy for themselves by taking residence in the center of massed prisoners, none of whom seemed particularly interested in anything outside of their own conversations.

Suki put her hand on his shoulder offering her silent support while sending a helpless look to Azzan who, since Zuko's apprehension and Sokka's resulting depression, had been labeled the de facto leader of their group as he had the most experience in these types of situations.

The hostage taking and questioning situations that is.

Azzan's face was grim as he crossed his arms, "Well usually a questioning session doesn't last for more than a few hours, much less three days. Even the most stubborn of prisoners never last long but…if prince Zuko's as tough as he sounds then I'm not really surprised. Though I don't like his chances with Azula running the show."

Sokka clenched his fists in frustration, "So that's it? We're just gonna sit here and _hope_ that he survives?"

"Sokka," Suki soothed squeezing his shoulder, "what _can_ we do? We're allowed out of our cells for an hour a day and we don't exactly have access to the lower levels!"

The water tribe warrior growled and stood up from his seat on the bench, "That's not the point Suki! The point is that if it were me in there Zuko would be doing anything he could to bust me out of there! If not because the guy genuinely likes me then because Katara would tear him a new one if he even _thought_ about leaving me behind, boyfriend or not!"

Suki raised a brow in question, "Boyfriend? I think you skipped over that little fact in your explanation Sokka. When did _that_ happen? And for that matter _how?_"

"Eh a few weeks or so after Ba Sing Se," Sokka muttered offhandedly, "but that's not the point! The point is that we have to get him out of there and then find a way _out_ of this La forsaken prison!"

"The fact that you wanna bust your friend out is all well and good Sokka," Ton spoke, "but we ain't exactly got any sort of way to do that. Privileged we are not."

With a small smirk and a shake of his head at the larger man, Azzan sighed, "As much as I hate to admit it, Ton is right. We have absolutely no way of even getting down into the interrogation rooms much less managing to break Zuko out of them. If we were to even _think_ about doing this we would need some kind of...well, some kind of miracle."

Growling in anger, the tribesman bit his lip trying to think of some kind of solution to their problem, _'But even if we did manage to bust Zuko out, we'd just be walking into a welcoming committee of guards and firebenders…' _

Every time he thought he had found the answer a new obstacle would rear its head and then he'd be back at square one in a fouler mood and a steadily worsening headache.

With his eyes downcast Sokka let out a long-suffering sigh, "La this is just getting worse and worse. Dammit!"

"Well that's one way to look at it I guess," said a cheerful voice from—oddly enough—_below_ his current position, "if you like having a negative aura that is."

Sokka's head snapped up only to be met with a wall of pink, a rear end, and a pair of feet. Chancing a glance down, he found the source of the voice; the chi blocking demon herself! _'What was she doing here?'_ he thought with a frown his eyes meeting Suki's briefly and finding her expression just as puzzled as he felt.

Azzan voiced his unasked question, "Lady Ty Lee…what are you doing here amongst the uh…_rabble_?"

The acrobat giggled, her balance impeccable as she moved from one hand to the other effortlessly, "Azula doesn't need my help with Zuko right now, so I thought I'd get out of that dirty old room and grab some fresh air. And I like walking around the prisoners—some of their conversations are _really_ interesting."

Sokka cringed. It figured the one person who was paying attention to their conversation would be one of Azula's right hand men…or _women_ as was the case. Why did things like this always happen to him? Why couldn't he get a break for once?

It seemed the others had grasped onto the same fact as they all shifted nervously, not positive if they were on delicate grounds with the bubbly girl or not.

"Are you going to hand us to your boss then?" Suki asked with an aggravated edge, "Line us up for our own torture sessions?" Apparently she was still harboring a grudge against the balancing wonder.

Ty Lee's eyes widened in surprise, "Oh no! No no no no no! I'm not here to turn you guys in or anything. I actually," she paused, seeming to think over her next words carefully, "I want to help you get Zuko out."

If it hadn't been for the cacophony of conversations around them, the silence that followed would have been unbearable. As it was the four friends could only stare at the acrobat in stunned disbelief unable to comprehend what she had said.

"Uh," Ton mumbled, confusion evident on his face and in his voice, "did she…? Can we…_what just happened_?"

"No way!" Suki growled bitingly, "There's no way in hell we're going to fall for your tricks! Do you think we're stupid Bendy Girl?"

Ty Lee flipped off her hands and onto her feet, immediately trying to placate the irate Kyoshi warrior, "Please I'm not trying to—"

Suki took a step back and fell into a fighting stance, her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Don't you dare come any closer to me _freak_! Keep your hands _away_ from me or so help me I'll knock your damn smile right off your face!"

The girl flinched, seeming to shrink away as her hands that had been trying to calm the russet haired warrior fell limply at her sides. Her eyes took on a glassy look as tears welled up within them, the hurt of Suki's comment on her face for all to see.

"Suki!" Sokka admonished sending his girlfriend a scolding glare, "Don't! This could be our chance!"

"What?" blue grey eyes bored into cerulean, "You're not seriously going to buy her act are you? It's obviously a trap! She works for Azula for spirits' sake, she's just trying to get us into an even bigger mess than we already are!"

"I think," said Azzan, who had remained quiet up until this point, "that we should hear what Lady Ty Lee has to say, seeing as we were at a loss as to what to do by ourselves. Having her insight might be just what we need to get Zuko out safely."

His words were enough to quell Suki's anger and the group of four turned their attention back to the girl in pink.

"Okay Ty Lee," Sokka acknowledged with a nod, "we're listening."

"Well as you all know Azula has Zuko locked up tight down in the interrogation room and—"

"Yeah, we got that part Air Head," Suki snapped, her irate tone evidence to her already waning patience, "Get to the _point_."

Ty Lee swallowed nervously and began wringing her hands, "Um…I-I…she, Azula I mean, she's…well, I've noticed that she doesn't seem to be as in control as she normally is. She was talking to Zuko and asking him whether or not the Avatar was really dead and even when he told her yes Azula was _convinced_ that he was lying to her.

"She was determined to get Zuko to talk so she had us, Mai and I, put him in this box thing that she called "the coffin" or something. She knows that Zuko has a fear of enclosed spaces and the box was small enough to set him off. About an hour or so into the torture he started hyperventilating. Two hours in, he was pounding every inch of his body he could against the walls of the coffin to try and tip it over."

She paused to take a breath and tried to blink back a few tears that were threatening to fall, "Thirty minutes later he was screaming. He was screaming non-stop for all of fifteen minutes before he'd screamed himself hoarse. Then there were only whimpers—he was terrified. That's when Azula ordered us to flip him around so that he was upside down.

"She said she wanted to see what would happen if she left him like that…see if he would pop. Thank Agni he didn't but…but he passed out a few minutes in. Unless the body's been trained to take that kind of influx of blood going to your head you won't be conscious very long. Fortunately Azula was getting tired by that point and she fell asleep for a few hours. That's when Mai and I flipped Zuko upright.

"Today, after three days of that, she finally let him out. He looked horrible. Everything was swollen and bloated and his skin was unnaturally red and looked ready to just…burst. Now she's getting ready to put him under some new method but they were talking before and…I think Zuko actually managed to get _through_ to her!

"He was lying there looking up at her and he asked her "why", which I took for "why are you doing this" and she started shouting about how he was betraying his nation and his family and I swear she barely stopped herself from saying he had betrayed her too."

She looked around at them trying to gauge their reactions to her story. Sokka spoke first scratching his head in confusion, "Well…thanks for the play-by-play of Zuko's torture session I guess but…how does that help us get him _out_ of there?"

Ty Lee blinked, "Oh yeah," she heaved a tired sigh, her hand rubbing her eyes, "well as you can probably see three days of standing guard during a torture session hasn't exactly been good for my mind. I'm a little slow on the uptake and it would probably be really easy to fool me into opening the door for you during the next block of "questioning", especially if you were pretending to be guards."

She didn't say it outright, but the message was abundantly clear to those surrounding her.

Sharing an excited look with the others, Sokka finally felt himself smile for the first time in three days. "Awesome, when is Azula starting on him again?"

"Like I said before she's probably started already but she'll probably get bored with it soon enough; it's some kind of choke collar with spikes that'll cut into Zuko if he so much as breathes deeply." She let out a humorless laugh, "Fortunately—or unfortunately depending on how you see it—Zuko has an incredible tolerance for pain."

"Dammit," Sokka cursed, "Are you sure there's no way for us to get him out of there _before_ the next session?"

Ty Lee shook her head with a frown, "No. If you tried to move him before she starts Azula would be on you in seconds. You have to catch her napping."

"While your plan has merit Lady Ty Lee," Azzan interrupted, his hand resting thoughtfully on his chin, "how are we supposed to get down into the lower levels without getting caught? It's not as if we're free to walk around where we please."

The acrobat smiled brightly, "That's where I come in! While the rest of the prison is well guarded, there's a significant drop off in terms of security down below. And," she looked around sheepishly, "I may or may not have knocked a couple of guards out, taken their uniforms, gagged a bound them and then thrown them in a storage closet."

Ton seemed to get a kick out of this little bit of information and let out a bark of laughter, "You know I like you little lady. You ain't nothing like the rest of these Fire Nation bozos uh—no offense Az," he assured the firebender at his side, "but why, if I may be so bold, are you helping them?"

A sad look came over Ty Lee's face, "I've been friends with Azula for a long time and…and she wasn't always like she is now. She used to be a better person before she started training under her father every day. Of course she's always had a rather _convincing_ way with words and she's always been able to get her way but…she never used to be so…_angry_ like she is now."

Suki snorted in disbelief, her arms crossed, "For some reason I find that hard to believe. It's more likely that she's been playing you from the beginning, I'm sure it's not that hard."

"Suki!" Sokka gasped, shocked at her rather callous attitude, "Will you stop that, _please_? She's trying to help us!"

The Kyoshi warrior huffed in annoyance and was about to respond when Azzan placed a calming hand on her shoulder, "Sokka's right Suki. This may be our only chance to get Prince Zuko out of there—you can't afford to let petty squabbles get in the way right now."

Suki seemed to deflate at the bender's words, her anger leaving her face rapidly as she sighed, "Alright, I'm sorry Bendy Girl. I'm just…it's just that you all seem to be overlooking the fact that once we get Zuko _out_ any advantage we may have had with the uniforms—which we still don't have by the way—will be gone! How are _we_ supposed to get out of this spirits forsaken place?"

"Now _that_," Ton cut in with a manic grin, "is something I can help out with! You'll just need a little distraction and old Ton here knows just how to do it. Just let me spread the word around the yard and you'll have your way out of here right around dinner time!" The Earth kingdom man looked to Azzan with a smirk, "Ain't I been telling you there was gonna be trouble soon?"

The firebender laughed, "Yes, but you never said anything about _you_ being the instigator of said trouble Ton! As far as I'm concerned that bet is now null and void."

"Pfft you're just mad that I was right! Besides, I never said it _wouldn't_ be me doing the instigating did I?" Ton tossed back with a huff, "Fire Nation cheat!"

"Earth kingdom con artist!"

"Children," Sokka scolded, "Focus _now_, bicker later." Turning back to Ty Lee he nodded at her, "Okay, we'll do it. But if this turns out to be a trap then so help me _La_ I _will_ kill you."

Ty Lee shivered when the Water Tribe teen's eyes met hers; there was no hint of sympathy or jest, just the very real promise to deliver on his threat if she double-crossed them. "I swear to you everything I said is true! I've given you the plan, I'll deposit the uniforms in your cell right now, I'll let you in and the only people you'll have to worry about are Azula and any guards that happen to be lingering about.

"Mai and I won't be attacking, we may even help if things start to get sticky, but Azula isn't exactly easy to bring down. It'll be up to you to get Zuko out of the room and then get _yourselves_ out of the prison."

Looking over the group one last time she gave them a shaky smile, "I'd better get back to Azula before she starts to miss me. The passage leading down to the interrogation rooms is just passed the mess hall, first door on your left. I wish you all the best of luck."

With that, Ty Lee flipped back onto her hands and expertly wove her way through the crowded courtyard and out of sight.

"If you'll excuse me," Ton rumbled as he pushed himself up from the bench, "I've got to go spread a little chaos amongst the ranks. Here's hoping the next time I see you all you'll be accompanied by a short-tempered Fire Nation prince!"

Azzan shook his head with a light chuckle, "Well I guess all that remains is getting ready then. Sokka, I assume you and myself will be masquerading as the guards?"

"Yeah," the warrior replied, "that way Suki can help Ton start whatever havoc he has in mind. But we still don't really have a way out, just the distraction."

"Hey, what about the gondola?" Suki offered, her eyes alight with excitement, "we could use one of the gondolas to get out of here while everyone's occupied. All we have to do is flip the switch and then make sure no one is able to follow or stop us!"

Sokka grinned and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, "Suki you're a genius! That's a brilliant idea, right Azzan?"

The man in question nodded, a small smile on his face, "Provided you and I get out of our hostage rescue successfully, yes that is a _very _brilliant idea. But right now we've got to get back to your cell and into those uniforms. I would rather not leave the prince with his sister longer than necessary."

"Right," Sokka breathed and straightened his shoulders, "let's get this party started!"

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"Well Zuzu it seems that you're too stubborn for your own good," Azula mocked from her seat across the table from him, "even with two puncture wounds in your chin and chest, both of which are pouring blood, you still haven't said a word. It seems you've actually grown a spine."

The prince kept his face neutral and bit back the retort that was on his lips for what felt like the millionth time in the last few hours. At first it wasn't too hard to keep the prongs from piercing his skin, but soon enough he had felt the muscles in his neck begin to cramp and fatigue. Accompanied by Azula's constant flow of questions, his head had slowly but surely fallen onto the sharp metal, which in turn had pushed the opposite side into the top of his chest.

He stared into his sister's golden eyes as he blocked out the pain, never once flinching. But then a dangerous smile made its way across her lips—a cruel, _wicked_ smile that made his stomach drop and his heart race.

"You know brother, when I had you locked up inside your little bed, you were talking in your sleep. You said some pretty…_interesting_ things. There was something about a boat, a sky bison, a beach and some friends that you were missing but," she paused, one of her fingers ghosting over her lips, "the most _interesting_ thing was about a certain little waterbender who you seem to have grown rather…_attached_ to."

'_No!' _Zuko thought frantically, _'no no _NO! _I _can't_ have been so _stupid_!' _

"Is it true Zuzu? Is it true that you're dating that little water tribe whore?" Her eyes glinted with glee as she steepled her hands together curiously, though Zuko had a feeling that she knew full well the answer to her question, "Is she your _girlfriend_ now?"

He blinked twice rapidly despite the sinking feeling in his stomach, hoping against hope that the one moment she would misjudge _anything_ in her life would happen right now.

"Come now Zuzu, don't lie to your little sister. Didn't mother always tell us not to lie? I'm sure she'd be _appalled_ if she could see her little Zuko lying to his _family_ and betraying his nation just for a little foreign delight! She'd be so disappointed in you brother, just like everyone else." Azula laughed darkly, "But of course that's not the _only_ secret you've been hiding, is it?"

Time stopped.

Zuko felt his eyes widen in fear. She _knew_! His sister _knew_ about Katara's pregnancy! Azula _knew _that she was with child—_his _child!

'_Agni_ NO! _This can_not_ be happening!'_ He could feel the tears start to prick at his eyes and every fiber of his being was screaming at him to attack his sister, to make sure that what she knew never left the room and made it to his father.

"I thought not. Tell me Zuko—when is that bitch due to bring about another _monstrosity_ into the world?"

There was a knock on the door followed by Ty Lee's soft voice, "Azula can you let me in?"

The princess growled in frustration, a snarl escaping her before she got up to get the door. She'd finally broken Zuko's façade and was right on the verge of driving the knife home! Damn Ty Lee's horrible timing! In the seconds that it took her to open the door for her friend, her brother would be able to settle his nerves and fall back behind his irritating emotionless defense and her one ace in the hole would be all for naught.

'_Well I do still have _one_ trick left up my sleeve.' _she thought with a smirk.

Wrenching the door open she was met with the grey eyes of her childhood friend, "What kept you Ty Lee? You were supposed to get something to eat and come straight back here so that we could get to the last of Zuzu's sessions."

The acrobat gulped, "T-the food wasn't ready in the warden's office so I had to make a detour over to the mess hall and get the cook to put something together for me. I didn't mean to take so long Azula."

The fire nation royal stared at the pink clad girl for a little while longer before nodding, "Fine. And you Mai?"

Ty Lee jumped and whirled around, her gaze landing on the quiet girl's figure as it emerged from the shadows, "Just doing what you asked."

"Good," Azula smiled, "Now let's get Zuko ready for his last round. He should love this one seeing as he's fallen for a waterbender." Turning to her brother she asked him, "What do you think Zuzu? Does waterboarding sound fun to you?"

Zuko managed to sneer at his sister with all the contempt he could muster, but a bubbling fear was creeping through his body.

"Ty Lee, Mai—tie him down on the table and get the barrels set up; we're going to turn his newest affinity into his greatest fear."

Once the fork was removed from around his neck, Zuko was finally able to briefly stretch out the horrible feeling of his cramping muscles before the two girls moved him to the table. Large chains went around both his feet and hands in order to keep him from escaping.

When he was secured Azula walked over, a small rag in her hands and a grin on her face, "And now the fun _really_ begins Zuzu. I want you to tell me where your little water tribe whore and her friends are, understand?"

He ignored her and looked away.

Before he knew what was happening Azula had dropped the rag on his face and pulled it taut around his head. There was silence for a few seconds before the water hit. Caught by surprise, the prince choked on the liquid, coughing violently to try and clear his throat.

The second wave hit him just as he took a deep gulp of air.

Azula didn't let him breathe for too long and soon enough spots were filling his vision and he was beginning to feel the effects of the lack of oxygen. He was heaving and desperate for an uninterrupted gasp of air when she asked him again.

"Where are they brother? Hurry now, I wouldn't want you to _drown_."

Though he was only able to take in short breaths of air, Zuko managed to speak, "I'll n-never t-tell you _anything_!"

He was assaulted by more water.

At first the water hadn't bothered him—aside from the fact that it was probably going to spell his end—but it seemed Azula knew just how to manipulate it, knew just the right time to pull away. Several times Zuko had been ready to black out, even ready to die, but the torrents of water had stopped. And then she'd ask him the same question and he'd either say the same thing or stay silent.

But, under the constant battery, he was beginning to lose his grasp on time. If this was what could possibly happen to him every time he went under water then, if he got out of this, Zuko vowed he would _never_ get into the water _again_.

"Tell me where your little whore and bastard child are _now_ Zuko or I'll kill all your little friends that are here with you!"

"F-fuck _you_!"

The next thing he knew, there was an incredibly strong and unnaturally long stream of water being poured over his face.

There was no room to breathe.

It got in to his mouth, his nose, eyes and ears. He couldn't see, or hear or even smell—everything was water. The fluid seemed to pound in his head and behind his eyes, a loud, vicious pulse that would probably be the last thing Zuko ever heard.

Which was a shame because he had really wanted to see Katara again. He had wanted to hold her in his arms and run his fingers through her hair, kiss her lips and marvel at the miracle they had managed to create together. He had wanted a life with her—a future. And yet he would die in this prison—at the hands of his own _sister_ no less—and never get to see his own child or his beloved again.

Hadn't he promised her that he would come back? Hadn't he told her that things were going to be all right and that nothing would keep them apart? Now her own element was going to be where he met his end and the irony couldn't have been any crueler.

Fate, it seemed, had fucked him over once again.

And suddenly there was shouting and explosions and then he was _moving_. He couldn't comprehend how or why, but he wasn't going to look a gift ostrich-horse in the mouth…at least not this time.

His senses were assaulted by a blinding light and, for a moment, he felt like he was back in the palace and stumbling out of the linen closet crying his eyes out. Only this time, it wasn't his mother he was calling for.

"K-Katara…K…Tara."

His world went black.

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"She must have knocked out the only two _fat_ guards stationed on this whole island!" Sokka growled as he and Azzan made their way through the winding hallways and towards the interrogation rooms, "I mean look at me! The whole uniform feels like it's going to fall off me at any moment!"

Rolling his eyes, the firebender responded, "My condolences. Now will you _stop_ complaining about the blasted outfit and _focus_ on the task at hand? Suki said that we've only got a five-minute window to get him out and moving before she and Ton start the riot upstairs."

The blue-eyed teen responded with a growl, "I know I know! I'm just getting a little nervous now that we're actually _executing _the plan; it's a bad habit I have. I've never been able to shake it and it's usually why things tend to go horribly wrong for me."

"We'll be fine," Azzan said after a small lull in the conversation, "just let me do the talking when we get there. If there's any talking to be done."

Despite being clothed in the guard uniforms, both Sokka and Azzan were careful to sneak passed the mess hall as inconspicuously as possible. They were so close now that they could practically _feel_ the anticipation manifesting before them.

"There's the door," Azzan muttered, silently pulling it open and motioning for Sokka to go on ahead and down the stairs, "now all we have to do is listen for the screams and maniacal laughter."

"That's…really morbid Azzan," Sokka frowned, a rather peevish look on his face, "really _really_ morbid."

The bender didn't respond for at that moment they heard an unmistakable, demented laugh. As their eyes met, one thought crossed their minds and left their mouths simultaneously.

"Azula!"

Finding the source, Azzan motioned for Sokka to stand behind him, before taking a deep breath and knocking on the door.

Not five seconds later Ty Lee's voice came from right behind the door, "Who is it?"

"Security detail ma'am," Azzan lied, "we've been sent down to escort you ladies up and off of the Boiling Rock. There's been a revolt topside and things are going to get messy before they get better."

"Oh," the acrobat gasped, "I'd better let you guys in right now, I don't feel like getting killed today."

The sound of a slide-lock being pulled back met their ears and the creak of the door opening was all the pair needed to take in the sight before them.

There was Azula standing beside a table where she towered over the struggling figure of Zuko who had a rag over his face and was being bombarded with gallons of water. And judging by his weakening movements, the prince was fading fast.

Azzan jumped into action first sending torrents of flame at the young princess who had yet to see the intruders. His flames caught her attention however and they were easily dissipated.

"What is this? How did you two get in here?" she looked to Ty Lee and Mai, "And why haven't you taken them down yet?" When she was met by Mai's emotionless face and Ty Lee's baffled expression she growled in annoyance, "Must I do everything myself?" She dropped the barrel, whose contents had just been being dumped over her brother's face, and lashed out with her own flames.

"Sokka, get Zuko!" Azzan barked as he deflected the blue flames of the firebending prodigy, "I'll hold of Azula!"

The water tribe boy made to dash towards Zuko's prone form when he felt a hand on his sleeve. Looking back, he met Ty Lee's grey eyes, "What? What is it? I've gotta get Zuko out of here!"

"I know," she said placing something cool and metallic in his hand, "but you're going to need that to get him out of the chains."

Looking down, Sokka saw that it was the key to the locks, "Thanks Ty Lee." She smiled at him before shooing him away.

Meanwhile, Azzan had managed to move Azula away from Zuko and the table and was successfully fending off her every attack. Obviously unused to any sort of challenge, the girl growled in frustration, "Why are you even fighting for these pieces of filth? They're _nothing_! They're lower than dirt and my dear brother is a traitor to his nation, which is just what you're on the verge of being unless you cease your attack right now!"

Seeing that Sokka had managed to remove the prince from the table, Azzan laughed at Azula's threat, "Please princess, I'm already considered a traitor. Nothing you say or do can possibly make me want to stop, especially seeing as I have the upper hand!"

"Azzan, I've got him now let's go!" Sokka shouted from the doorway.

Azula's features lit up, "So_ you're_ the infamous Captain Azzan that sired a child with that pathetic water peasant! That was _your_ wife my father ordered burned at the stake for all to see, wasn't it?" She watched as the collected fighter seemed to vanish before her very eyes to be replaced by an enraged maniac. "It's your daughter that currently resides with the midwives at the Royal Palace waiting desperately for her father to come back to her."

And just like that, the fight left Azzan, "My daughter…is…_alive_? But…b-but…"

"Very much so," Azula assured him, "and you can go back to her—with a full pardon—if you just stop this foolish attack and take care of that stupid little water tribe whelp for me! What do you say Captain?"

So many thoughts were flitting through the firebender's mind; whether the princess was telling the truth, whether he dare believe her, whether he could betray Sokka and the prince by taking Azula's offer.

'_No,'_ he thought, gritting his teeth, _'I don't know if she's telling me the truth. I doubt she'll even let me see my daughter again even if she _were_ still alive, and I can't…I _won't_ turn on Sokka like that!'_

"Azzan?" Sokka called, now unsure whose side the bender was on.

"Don't worry Sokka," he said, "I'm still with you." With a roar, Azzan loosed a pillar of fire at the raven-haired princess, "this is for the family that you and your father stole from me!"

There was an incredible _bang!_ that rent the air and, thinking this would be his best chance to get away, Azzan took it. Turning toward the door the man ran to Sokka's aid and hoisted Zuko's other arm across his shoulders.

He didn't see the smoke clear.

Didn't see the irate fire princess take her stance.

Didn't see the sparks of electricity as they manifested themselves at her fingertips.

And he didn't see as the bolt of lightning was flung at his exposed back.

He _did_ hear his name being called.

He _did_ hear the sound of shuffling footsteps behind him as he turned back and was met with a blinding light.

He _saw_ her take the impact of the bolt straight to the chest.

He _heard_ the scream of agony as it tore from her lips.

He _heard_ the thud as she landed on the ground by his feet, smoke rising from the singed flesh.

He _saw_ the pain in her eyes as they met his.

He _stared_ as the light left her eyes.

He _saw_ Ty Lee die.

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A/N: There you have it guys and gals! Chapter 14! I really hope you enjoyed it because I enjoyed writing it, even though the chapter was being a bit of a douche to me the whole time it was being written. Anyway I'm always open to comments and your thoughts so please, drop a line! I love you all forever! Til next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Hello again ladies and gentlemen! I want to thank all those of you who reviewed and/or added this story to your Alerts/Favorites list, there really is no greater compliment! I want to go ahead and apologize for the long wait for this chapter: so many things just started happening in life (mainly school related) and time never seemed to be my friend when it came to this story. But, you're not here for my excuses-read on!

Disclaimer: Avatar is in now way, shape or form mine!

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Ch. 15- Jailbreak

Things were an absolute mess when Sokka and Azzan—dragging an unconscious Zuko between them—made it to the courtyard.

Fights had broken out on all sides between the guards and the prisoners. Flames lanced to and fro in front of them, the guards trying in vain to quell the revolt that had caught them completely unprepared. Ton and Suki had done their job and exceeded all of their expectations; it seemed every single inmate was a part of the chaos.

"This is completely ridiculous!" Sokka shouted over the blaring sirens as he helped Azzan lift Zuko up the steps leading to the guard tower, "I. Love. _Chaos!_"

Azzan raised a brow at him, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips "Indeed. The way I've heard it, you're the walking definition of the word; you can't have anything predictable or simple or else you go crazy."

"I'm going to assume that comment came from the 'dead' weight in our arms." Sokka grumbled.

The firebender faltered, falling out of step with Sokka and nearly dropping Zuko in the process. The water warrior shot an annoyed look at the older man stopped himself from snapping when he saw the haunted look on his face.

"Azzan?" he asked carefully, "What's wrong?"

"Y-you saw what happened in the interrogation room, correct? You saw what happened to Lady Ty Lee?" His voice wavered slightly and Sokka felt himself swallow thickly.

The sounds of battle pervaded the air all around them but failed to register as an overwhelming feeling of dread suddenly settled in Sokka's stomach.

"I didn't...I-no…Azula wouldn't—I thought it was a graze! J-just enough to knock her out…right?" When he didn't get an answer he turned desperate eyes onto the bender, "Azzan?"

The former captain adjusted his share of Zuko's weight over his shoulder again and continued moving, not meeting Sokka's eyes, "She tried to warn me…tried to give me a chance to get out of the way but I wasn't fast enough. She took the bolt straight in the chest. I-I saw as the light left her eyes, as the life fled her body. I saw her _die_! How could you _not_ have seen it?"

Sokka was blinking rapidly and shaking his head in disbelief, "We had to move—I didn't want Azula to turn on us while we still had a chance to get out of there! Ty Lee's…she's really…gone?"

"Yes," Azzan confirmed with a solemn nod and a blank expression, "she sacrificed herself so that we could get prince Zuko out of there and get you all out of here so I suggest we not waste it."

Their conversation over now, Sokka was brought back to their present situation.

Screams were now abundant in the air as the guards pressed their bending advantage to the fullest. The smell of burnt flesh was beginning to pollute the air and it was only a concentrated swallow that kept the bile from escaping Sokka's throat.

"Have you seen Suki or Ton since we've been out here?" he asked desperately, his head looking like it was on a swivel as he looked frantically around for the aforementioned pair.

"No," Azzan responded, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of the nearing guard tower that housed the controls for the gondola, "but they should have been here by now."

As if on cue Suki's voice broke through the tumultuous havoc and, if Sokka had anything to say about it, sounded like the most glorious thing in the world.

"You guys looking for us?" she called as she ran up the steps just ahead of Ton who was wearing a _very_ self-satisfied look on his face. "We were just getting our kicks—so to speak—down below before coming up to meet you." Glancing at the unconscious teen being supported between them she grimaced, "I guess Azula did a number on him, huh? He looks like death warmed over. Did you have any trouble getting him out?"

Sokka and Azzan looked at each other uneasily, not sure how the news of Ty Lee's death would be received.

"What happened?"

Taking in a deep breath Sokka looked straight into his girlfriend's eyes, "When we got in there things kind of…went to shit. Azzan had to keep Azula busy so I could get to Zuko and we were nearly out of there when she took a shot at us with her lighting."

Suki's eyes widened, "Spirits, are you both alright? You weren't hit were you? Or Zuko?" She rushed over to Sokka and began to examine every part of him that wasn't covered by the uniform.

"Suki we're fine she…she didn't hit _us_."

His statement hung in the air, more potent than the stench of smoke and burning armaments wafting up from the battlefield below.

"Then," Suki asked tentatively, unsure whether she wanted to continue or not, "…who?"

"_YOU!" _

All of their heads spun around to locate the source of the voice and each of them felt the blood drain from their faces.

Azula, the princess of the Fire Nation, stood at the bottom of the stair case with an absolutely livid expression on her face and steam billowing out of her ears and nose, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You _killed_ Ty Lee! You killed _Ty Lee!_ I'm going to fucking _kill you_!"

She launched herself at Azzan, propelled forward by blue flames coming out of the souls of her feet, and was on him before he could even blink her anger sending her bending through the roof.

"By the time I've finished with you _traitor_," she snarled at Azzan, "you'll _wish_ you had burned to death with your pathetic excuse of a wife!"

The first punch she threw was laced with blue flame and landed with a sickening crunch on Azzan's cheek knocking the bender completely off his feet. She followed with a devastating kick to his stomach enhanced by a hellish azure flash that had the soldier doubled over and coughing up blood.

"Why were you even _there_? Why were you trying to save my _useless_ brother from a fate he rightly deserves?" With a ferocious roar she let loose a deadly series of punches and kicks, each coupled with flames, "Why did you _move_? Why couldn't you have _stayed there_?"

How he had managed to dodge and redirect the enraged princess's barrage was a mystery to all but Azzan who, though caught off guard, was quick to notice that the prodigy's assault wasn't coordinated at all; it was crazed and distraught, the tears cascading down her face evidence of her turmoil.

"I am not the one who shot the lightning Princess," Azzan ground out through a sharp stab of pain, "nor did I ask her to take the attack for me. She did it of her own accord, no one else's."

A guttural cry tore from Azula's mouth in tandem with an enormous pillar of azure death, "I _hate_ you! I hate you, I hate you, I _hate you_!"

Moving quickly despite his wounds, the older bender was able to deflect the wall of fire away taking care to keep it from the rest of the group who stood staring in awe at the erratic display of raw power coming from the Fire Nation princess.

"The only one you should hate," Azzan reasoned, his hands coming alight with his own tongues of fire, "is yourself. _You_ were foolish enough to think that that sweet girl was as cold hearted as you. That she would simply stand by while you tried to attack an opponent whose back was turned! There was no honor in what you did, nor is there any for you now with this unjustified attack!"

Crossing both arms in front of himself he tensed, taking in an enormous breath, before unleashing it all in a white-hot burst of hellish flame. As if spurred on by his abrupt release of air, the ball of fire shot forth at blinding speed and caught the princess in the shoulder where it quickly ate through her armor.

With a shriek Azula ripped off the melting metal before the scalding heat could mar her skin, "Traitors deserve to die a traitor's death like the honor less pigs they are, not have innocent people take their punishment for them! Show me the justice in _that_ murderer! She's gone because you were there and you were there because you _betrayed_ your country by affiliating yourself with filthy _peasants_!"

Her fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles had gone deathly white and blood slithered its way down her palms from where her nails had dug into the flesh of her hands. Her eyes were shut tight in concentration, as if she were trying to block out the reality she now found herself in. When she finally opened them again, it was plain to see that she was torn.

Her once confident amber gaze was shaken and unsure of how to proceed, the fire that had been present for so long was now all but extinguished. All that remained was a faint spark of pain—something born of great tragedy and loss that would not be easily remedied.

"Ty Lee's…_gone_," she gasped breathlessly, the fight leaving her in an instant, as she fell to her hands and knees, "she's gone…g-gone." The tears came back in full force, though now they were brought about by guilt and dawning comprehension as opposed to the righteous anger of minutes before, "Ty Lee…"

No one moved or spoke for several seconds, spellbound by the events playing out before them and what they had just heard.

Suki recovered herself first, "I think we should move it you guys; the guards are starting to get the upper hand against the prisoners! If we keep standing around we're going to miss our shot!"

"But," Sokka protested, his eyes still on the weeping form of the fire princess, "what about Azula? Do we just…leave her here? Or do we, you know, take her out?"

A new voice spoke up from the guard tower behind them startling them all, "Please…please don't hurt her! Just leave her here, I'll take care of her."

It was the dark haired, emotionless knife thrower, Mai only, for once, her impassive mask was broken. She was coming down the stairs with her hands raised in a placating manner, her eyes red and puffy from crying, "I'm unarmed. I don't even care if you guys go just please…I can't stand to lose anyone else I care about today, please."

Nodding his head with eyes fully of sympathy Azzan spoke, "Of course Lady Mai, of course. And…my prayers and deepest sympathies are with you both."

"Thank you," she whispered as she passed through the group and knelt down next to Azula, "I think you all should go—the warden, my uncle, he won't let this riot run much longer." Looking at her broken friend Mai let out a shaky sigh, "Oh Azula…come on time to get up."

"She's right of course," Ton piped up as he glanced around at the chaos below them, flames becoming more abundant as the guards began to put down the prisoners, "we may have had surprise but they still have more benders. Let's move!"

Azzan ran back to Sokka's side and hefted Zuko's arm around his shoulders, "Come on Sokka, I've got him!"

They started to move again, Suki taking the lead and Ton bringing up the rear, all of them hoping to get to their destination unhindered after the unexpected attack from Azula.

Finally they reached the watchtower, which had thankfully been left unguarded due to the riot below.

Sokka let out a low whistle as he eyed the setup, "I've said it before and I'll say it again; the Fire Nation have some incredibly technology! I mean, just _look_ at this stuff!"

Suki rolled her eyes at her excitable boyfriend before taking a firm hold of his ear, "Sokka, sweetie, now is _really_ not the time! We need to hijack the gondola _now_!"

Wincing and trying to bat away the Kyoshi warrior's hand, Sokka conceded, "Ow! Owowow okay okay Suki I get it! Gondola, gondola, gondola! OW!"

Ton snorted, "Well _somebody's_ whipped."

Sokka scowled, "Shut up! She had my ear! My precious, delicate, attractive ear! Besides," he continued, "if you think _I'm_ whipped, you should see Zuko when he's around my sister. He's practically bound and tied!"

"As fascinating as it is to imagine the future Fire Lord being shackled to his significant other so pathetically," Azzan smirked, "I believe we have company!"

Just as the firebender finished his statement, the tower was flooded with dozens of guards, each of whom wielded a tongue of flames. Through the solid wall of benders emerged the Warden, a cruel smile on his face and his eyes alight with glee.

"Well, well, well Captain," he mocked as he took in the ragged group before him, "it seems your foolish little escape attempt has failed. You have nowhere to go but back to your cells, though I think a trip to the Cooler is in order for both you _and _prince Zuko."

Azzan eased Zuko's arm down from around his shoulders, passing the weight off to Ton, "If you think I'm just going to hang my head and surrender then I'm afraid you're terribly mistaken warden."

"We'll see about that captain. Guards," barked the warden coolly, "subdue the prisoners and then throw them _all_ into their own separate coolers!"

As the soldiers moved to follow their orders Sokka gulped nervously, "So I guess saying we were just trying to make sure no one used the gondola to escape in all the ruckus isn't gonna work, huh?"

The sound of several palms meeting their owner's faces filled the room.

"Sokka," Suki muttered hopelessly as she massaged the bridge of her nose, "sometimes I wonder…I _really_ really wonder why I love you."

Azzan snorted, "I think we're _all_ still trying to figure that one out Suki. Out of all the fish in the sea you pick the one that's got the gimpy fin!"

"Hey!" Sokka shouted in protest, "I do _not_ have a gimpy fin! Or fins at _all_ for that matter so—"

"_ENOUGH_!" Obviously fed up the warden had interjected, his face twisted in annoyance, "Put them in irons and take them to the coolers, _now_!"

The small group—those that could anyway—fell into their respective fighting stances as the warden's men drew closer.

"I want them alive," reminded the warden as he turned to leave the tower. He paused for a moment and, almost as an afterthought, added, "But I'm not against them being a little…_roughed_ up when they arrive. Just alive."

Before he made it out, a terrible shriek rent the air all around them forcing many of the advancing guards to cover their ears in pain.

Grimacing as he clamped his own hands over his ears, Azzan growled, "What in Agni's name _is_ that?"

From outside terrified screams and shouts crisscrossed and melded together creating a cacophony of horror. Finally one cry broke it's way through the confused clamor.

"_TAKE COVER!"_

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Toph, I'm worried," Katara confided to the blind girl, who was currently occupied with picking the dirt out from under her toenails, "it's been a week now and Zuko and Sokka _still_ aren't back. What if…what if they got captured? What if they're in trouble and need our help to get out of that horrible prison? What if they—"

"Katara!" Toph bit out sharply, her eyes never leaving her task, "will you please _calm down_? Geez I didn't think the hormones were supposed to hit before the first trimester! Honestly you go from zero to hysterical in the blink of an eye!"

The waterbender quieted instantly, her cheeks flaring at the other bender's rather blunt observation. "Sorry Toph," she mumbled with downcast eyses, "I'm just—"

"Worried, I know Sweetness," interrupted the small girl once again though her tone was markedly gentler, "I am too. Knowing Sparky and Snoozles they would have already been back if things had gone smoothly. It's just…we don't exactly know where they are, you know? And you're well…pregnant."

Katara scowled, "That's the same thing Zuko told me before he and Sokka left when I offered to go with them. But dammit I'm not going to break! I'm pregnant but I'm not a balloon that's liable to pop at the lightest touch!"

"Sheesh Sugar Queen," Toph laughed as she managed to dislodge a particularly intriguing speck from her nail, "there's no need to get all huffy with me. If you say you're good to go, who am I to argue otherwise? Let's get Appa ready!"

"Alright!" Katara squealed in glee, jumping up from her seat.

There was a pause as the tiny earthbender made no move to prepare or cease her toe excavations.

With a deadpanned expression and emotionless voice, Katara asked, "When you say "_let's_ get Appa ready"…I'm assuming you mean "_Katara_ get Appa ready.""

With a smirk Toph nodded, "Assume away."

-0-

It hadn't taken Katara long to get the sky bison ready for their departure; all they had really needed was a few blankets, water and food.

What _had_ taken up much of their time had been convincing Hakoda to actually _let_ them go. He had been dead set against the idea even before she had finished her first sentence.

"Absolutely not Katara!" the chief had practically shouted, "While I agree that we need to go after them and that Toph's metalbending abilities will be invaluable on a rescue mission, _you_ should not, cannot and _will not_ _go_! Especially in your condition!"

Okay, so he'd been more against the idea of _her_ going than he had been of the plan in general. He was actually quite supportive of Toph going which irked her to no end.

But the mentioning of her pregnancy once again as the reason for her to not go was the last straw.

"For La's sake my pregnancy is _not_ a handicap! At least it isn't right now!" she glared daggers at her father as she clenched her fists in frustration, "I'm more capable on my own than _most_ of your warriors are _together_ and it's _my_ brother and my _baby's father_ who need my help! I will _not_ be left behind again! Baby or not, I'm going to fight for those that I love!"

Her tirade was capped off by a single tear rolling down her face that barely registered to Hakoda before she fled from his tent and into the fading light, leaving her father speechless.

As soon as the war wear chief had been able to collect his wits following his daughter's passionate words, he went in search of her to apologize but he'd only caught sight of the great white sky bison as it faded away into the night.

Knowing that his daughter's safety was now out of his hands, Hakoda sighed and stared into the sky, "Tui and La please…please bring them back to me."

-0-

"So Sweetness, where exactly is this "Boiling Rock" where Sparky and Snoozles are most likely being held prisoner?"

The trip had been relatively quiet so far with neither girl in the mood for talking. Toph had fallen asleep soon after their departure, intent on keeping up with her sleep, but Katara had found herself unable to even calm her nerves enough for the subtle vestiges of slumber to overtake her.

She was afraid.

Her brother and her boyfriend—who, when they got out of this, would be her _husband_ before he could blink—were no doubt at the mercy of the Fire Nation and once word got out to the capitol, there was no telling how fast the Fire Lord would be upon them.

Or his sister.

She shivered at the thought of the cold-hearted, calculating princess. The memory of the battle in the catacombs rushed over her: how Azula hadn't even hesitated to kill an innocent child, how Aang had fallen and crashed to the ground…how she had just stood there and watched.

"Katara?" Her companion's voice broke out of her reverie, concern evident in the small bender's voice and on her face as well as a small hint of fear. She had always feared that one night she would wake up and be the only one left on the bison, the other's having fallen off because they insisted on sleeping at the edge of the saddle.

Carefully, so as not to startle the girl—she couldn't really see while atop the bison—Katara crawled over to her and gathered Toph into her lap. She gave her a reassuring squeeze, "I'm here Toph. Sorry I didn't answer I just…got lost in thought there for a minute."

"I'm worried too Sweetness," confided the green-eyed bender, her voice soft and lacking any of its normal snark, "I want my brother back…and The Bottomless Pit too."

Katara couldn't stop the laughter that bubbled up and out of her mouth, "Toph! That's not a very nice thing to say," she chided gently, her giggles betraying her humor, "especially when said Bottomless Pit isn't present to justify his eating habits!"

Appa let out a low grumble that seemed to show his agreement and both girls dissolved into giggles, patting the bison affectionately.

"I knew you'd side with me Appa," Toph laughed with a smile, "Snoozles would probably eat a whole Saber-tooth Moose lion if we let him! I just don't understand where he puts it all!"

Chuckling softly Katara spoke, "Ever since he was a kid Sokka's always been the big eater of the family. He could out eat my father at age seven without breaking a sweat and we were all positive that he was going to turn into a blob before his tenth birthday. But somehow...he managed to stay as thin as a twig."

The conversation lulled for a few minutes and the two sat in silence listening to the wind as it rushed passed them, Appa's tail beating a steady rhythm as it flopped up and down keeping them aloft.

In a quiet whisper Toph continued, "Seriously though Katara, I'm…I've never been more bent out of shaped over someone else's well-being as I am with Zuko. Don't get me wrong," she amended quickly seeing the waterbender about to question her, "It's not that I don't care about Snoozles it's just…he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would lose it if he was locked up, you know?"

Katara shook her head in confusion, "Zuko is just as tough as my brother Toph. In fact, I think he could take anything those guards would throw at him. He and Sokka both."

Toph sighed, "Yeah but…how long would he last if Azula was the one calling the shots?"

Blue eyes widened and fear gripped her body as the earthbender unknowingly repeated her earlier thoughts. If Toph had considered the possibility then that made all her fears all the more real.

"Please don't say that Toph," she whispered weakly, her voice betraying her as it broke, "that's the one thing I've been praying _not_ to happen to _either_ of them. She's…you didn't see her down in Ba Sing Se when she—when Aang died."

The green-eyed bender felt the tremor rush through her friend and instinctively cuddled further into her warmth to try and stave off the fear that must have been coursing through her.

"Sorry I-I didn't…I didn't think—"

"Shh Toph," Katara soothed, running a hand through the blind girl's ebony locks, "it's okay, I know what you meant. All we can do is hope that Azula isn't interested with the goings on at the Boiling Rock. We're going to help them…we'll get them out."

Again the sound of the steady wind rang dominant in their ears before Toph spoke, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Sweetness? Do you think…would you sing for me again? Just a little bit so I can get all these thoughts out of my head. But I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to 'cause I'll just—"

Katara smiled as she put a finger to the bender's babbling lips, silencing her, "Of course Toph, just close your eyes and relax."

Tucking her head into the crook of Katara's elbow to get more comfortable, the metalbender complied, "Thanks Katara."

-0-

Zuko had told her before he left that the reason they weren't taking Appa was because he was too obvious. A giant white sky bison flying through the Fire Nation was just asking for trouble—which was why the two benders now found themselves in their current predicament.

"Honestly Sweetness why _did_ you decide to keep moving during the day? It seems a little counter-productive if you're asking me."

Katara felt her eye twitch in aggravation at the blind heiress, "Now's _really_ not the time Toph! I'm having a hard enough time with the balls of fire, torrents of flames, and all other manner of pyrotechnics being flung at us and I _really_ don't need to be fending off condescending comment from the peanut gallery! Appa _up_! AAHH!"

The bison barely managed to dodge an oncoming fireball as Katara tugged on his reigns with all her might. She growled as she righted their mount; they were sitting ducks up here without her bending but Toph couldn't see to guide Appa and she couldn't _bend_ because the closest earth was hundreds of feet below them.

She knew taking off during the day was a bad move but, after the talk she had had with Toph yesterday, Katara had just wanted to get to both her brother and Zuko as soon as possible. How was she supposed to know that the Fire Nation army would respond to sightings so quickly?

They hadn't been flying for more than ten minutes before the first specks of black had been seen on the horizon. Those specks had turned into dozens and soon they sky was littered with airships and zeppelins all of which had brought enough firepower—and benders to _power_ said firepower—to lay siege to an entire nation.

Apparently the price on their heads had not diminished in the slightest with Aang's death.

"This would be so much easier if Zuko were here," she mumbled to herself through gritted teeth.

"I think it would be easier if anyone else with _working eyes_ were here Sugar Queen," Toph corrected as she held on tightly to the grips of Appa's saddle, "this is definitely _not _how I envisioned our rescue mission going."

"Tell me about it—Toph _duck!_" Katara screamed dropping her head down as Appa flew dangerously close to one of the airships.

Behind her she heard Toph do the same with a small _eep_! as she flattened herself against the rough saddle. "You alright up there Sweetness?"

"Yeah Toph," she called back when inspiration struck, "Toph! The airship that's right above us—it's made of metal! Do you think—"

"Way ahead of you Sweetness! Right above me you said? Like how far are we—" she stopped and blinked her sightless eyes in surprise as her hands met the cool exterior of the metal ship, "Holy shit! You weren't exaggerating when you said _right above us_, huh?"

Katara let out a harsh laugh, a bitter smirk gracing her worried face, "You can't say I didn't warn you."

"Yeah yeah," the girl grumbled nonchalantly, waving off the water tribe girl's sarcasm, "Now I just need a good hold—_there_!" Her fingers found purchase amongst the otherwise flawless exterior of the ship and she plunged them in as easily as if the metal was water. "One decimated Fire Nation airship coming up!"

Holding fast, the talented bender wrenched the entire bottom out and immediately they heard the telltale wail of screams from within.

"Oh yeah, I rock!" Toph crowed, a satisfied smirk on her face.

Both of the girls stared as the ship plummeted out of the sky—Katara in awe and Toph just following the sounds of her destruction.

A loud roar tore through the air breaking the pair out of their trance. Looking to the front Katara saw, with rising horror, an almost solid wall of flames coming at them. The bison roared again, not sure whether to wait for the girls to guide him or to give in to his instincts and dive.

The decision was made for him as Katara grasped on to Toph's hands and pulled them around her waist, "Whatever you do Toph _do not let go_!"

"What are you—_AHHH! STOP STOP! I WANNA GET OFF, I WANNA GET OFF, I WANNA GET OFFFFFFFFFFF!"_

If Toph had been just a little bit taller Katara thought she might have gone deaf. Thankfully she only had to endure the earthbender's death grip around her waist for a few seconds as they followed the airship that they had taken out just moments before.

In their free fall Katara saw an enormous forest stretched out below them. The trees were tall and ancient with leaves and branches so dense that the forest floor was impossible to see. It would provide the perfect cover!

With a mighty tug on the reins she managed to steer Appa out of the nosedive and get him straightened out, "Appa! We need to hide in the forest! Can you get us down there safely?"

Said bison let out a roar of indignation causing the waterbender to blush, "Sorry Appa, I didn't mean to question your abilities I just had to be sure." Turning to the blind hyperventilating bender, Katara ran a calming hand through her ebony locks, "Hang on again Toph."

Blinking her unseeing eyes and fighting off her rising fear she nodded, "Okay Sweetness, you got it. Just…just tell me the next time you're gonna do that, alright?"

"Trust me Toph it's better if you don't know." Katara heard the beginning of a rebuttal but she ignored it and called to the bison, "Ready Appa? Yip yip!"

The rush of air and the intense and unsettling feeling of vertigo crashed over the waterbender and nearly caused her to lose her grip on the reigns. She could feel the contents of her stomach rising up in contrast to the downward plummeting of her entire body and she went a little cross-eyed which she immediately regretted as it only added to her growing nausea.

The roaring wind did nothing to drown out the terrified screams of the Blind Bandit behind her however.

"AHHHHHHHHHH! OH SPIRITS MAKE IT _STOP_! _PLEASE_! STOP STOP ST—_AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_"

The grip she had on Katara's waist was almost enough to force up and out what the mocha-skinned girl was trying so hard to keep down and in. But she had told Toph to hold on.

After what seemed like hours upon hours of cruel and unusual punishment—but was really only a few seconds—Appa managed to break the tree line without too much trouble and settle into a steady, and thankfully much _slower_, speed.

Successfully managing to settle her disturbed stomach, Katara finally took in her surroundings.

The forest was immense and lush, easily surpassing her earlier expectations that they would be able to hide from their pursuers; they were flying through the forest for La's sake! The trees were gigantic, seeming to stretch up into the sky for miles on end and the foliage was thick and green and nearly impossible to see through.

"We could hide Ba Sing Se in here," Katara whispered to herself in wonder, her eyes open wide in awe, "this place is incredible!"

A warm, wet sensation made itself known in her upper back along with the feeling of soft tremors and then, finally, crying.

"Oh Toph!" she cooed as she turned herself within the earthbender's vice-like grip, wrapping the sobbing girl in her arms, "Toph I'm so sorry we had to do that, but it was the only way we could've gotten out of there alive! Shh…don't cry Little One, please! Hush now, it's alright I'm here."

Her gentle coaxing only seemed to bring more tears as the small girl's cries turned into gut wrenching sobs, "I-it was s-so scary Katara," Toph croaked out in between great heaves, "I-I thought…I d-didn't know—we just…_fell_. A-and we _kept_ falling and I-I couldn't…see or _feel_ anything!"

Katara tightened her hold on the young bender's tiny frame as she ran a hand once more through her dark locks, "It's alright now Toph, it's all over. We're safe and right side up again, no more falling okay?"

"O-okay Katara," the girl shuddered, "but no more, right?"

"Right," the brunette assured her, "no more."

-O-

Things quieted down significantly after their escape from the Fire Nation air attack. The forest had done its job and dissuaded their enemies from following after them, in the air at least. Countless run ins with the Fire Nation royal siblings (before Zuko had turned of course) had taught them that. For all they knew, the entire infantry could be marching toward them right then.

But that was something that both Toph and Katara decided to put out of their minds for the time being in favor of making headway through the enormous forest. The trees that had been forgiving initially were now making flight extremely difficult for Appa, slowing down their progress immensely.

"If this keeps up by the time we get to the Boiling Rock I won't even be able to _stand_ much less bend!" Katara growled in frustration as she bent several of the lower hanging limbs out of the bison's way. Sweat covered her brow and her face was screwed up in concentration as she employed Hama's teachings to manipulate the objects.

"I'm honestly surprised you haven't passed out yet myself Sweetness," Toph piped up from where she lay with her hands behind her head in the saddle, "you've been bending for about three hours now and it sure doesn't _feel_ like there's going to be an end to this forest any time soon."

All of a sudden, a long, droning wail sounded off in the distance effectively silencing both girls.

"That's a siren," Toph whispered, pushing herself up and on her feet, "that's a siren!" She ran over to the still frozen waterbender and began tugging on her arm, "Katara that's a _siren_!"

"Yes Toph, I heard you the first two times!" she replied distractedly as she strained her ears to better pinpoint the source of the sound, "I would appreciate it if you'd stop trying to pull my arm off though!"

Unfazed, the earthbender continued, "That's gotta be the Boiling Rock Sweetness! We found it!"

Relief flooded through Katara like the very element she commanded. They had found it! They had finally found Zuko, Sokka and hopefully Suki and they were on the verge of getting them _out_ of the damned prison!

Appa finally found the end of the forest a few minutes later. As they broke the away from the monotony of green they were met with a massive cliff face that stretched high into the sky. Thankfully their mount was more than capable of tackling this newest obstacle all on his own and, within minutes, they were at the mouth of a cave near the peak of the volcano.

"Thank you Appa," Katara whispered as she scratched the bison in appreciation, "Toph and I will take it from here. You stay safe and wait for us somewhere nearby, okay?"

She got a massive tongue to the face in response before the mammoth animal took flight and disappeared from sight. The two watched him go in silence before turning to look into the dimly lit cave before them.

"Well," Toph said as she dug her toes into the dirt, "this is definitely _some_ kind of feeding point for the prison; there's a barracks here and a bunch of metal crap that completely reeks of Fire Nation technology and—"

Her voice caught and as Katara turned to look at her companion she saw that her eyes were wide and her face had gone pale, "Toph, what's wrong?"

But the small girl didn't answer, instead sprinting toward the far corner of the cave and stopping just short of the wall, her sightless eyes focused on a spot on the floor and her hands trembling in shock.

"Toph?" Katara asked walking over to the earthbender and putting a hand on her shoulder, "What—" But her voice died in her throat as her eyes fell on the object at Toph's feet.

Arctic blue paint decorating a wicked looking curved blade…

"Sokka's boomerang," Katara swallowed feeling the beginning of tears as she knelt to pick up the weapon, "he never goes _anywhere_ without it."

Toph clenched her fists, "They did get captured then."

A long silence followed her statement as the two girls tried to fend off the implications of the fact broken only by the wailing sirens of the nearby prison. Even though they had already guessed at the situation, seeing the evidence in front of them brought reality slamming home.

Clutching her brother's boomerang in both hands Katara stood up, wiping away the lone tear that had escaped from her eyes, and walked deeper into the cave towards the gondola station with Toph close at her heels.

There, looming off in the distance and nestled amidst the scorching hot water after which it was named, stood the Boiling Rock prison.

A smirk crossed her tan face as she cracked her knuckles, "Toph, what do you say we crash whatever party's going on down there? You know…really put their reputation to the test."

The manic grin that lit up the young bender's face would have been enough to send grown men crying for their mothers. "Sweetness, I am _totally_ down! I'll make the transport if you do the driving."

A strange feeling overtook Katara in that moment. It was like some sort of trance; all of the emotions and stress of the last few days were getting ready to explode out of her at any moment. She was finally going to get her brother back from this La forsaken prison. She was finally going to be reunited with her soon-to-be husband and father of her baby.

And all she had to do was take out a few firebenders?

"Bend away Toph," she grinned dangerously as the frenzy of bloodlust overtook her, "bend away."

000000000000000

A/N: So there you have it folks, chapter fifteen! I apologize for any errors, but I do hope you guys enjoyed it! Please, review and let me know what you think as there is always, always, ALWAYS room for improvement! 'Til next time!

-HakushoRurouni


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Ladies and gentlemen I can't tell you how sorry I am for taking so long to get this chapter out! As it stands, I think if I had been more proactive of the actually-getting-on-my-laptop-and-writing-front, I'm quite positive it would have been done at _least_ a week or two ago. Anytime before that had me completely drowning in exams, schoolwork, work related to school and twenty other kinds of busy.

That being said I want to thank those of you who left a review last time or added this story to your favorites and your story alerts. Here we go with Chapter 16 of _Avatar: The Fall_!

Disclaimer: I own absolutely _nothing_ from Avatar.

* * *

><p>Ch. 16- Reunited<p>

In retrospect, Katara was rather surprised that their approach had gone completely unnoticed for so long. Of course the fact that there seemed to be some kind of commotion from within the prison, as evidenced by the blaring sirens and terrified shouts, should have given her some kind of a clue.

Still, she thought it was ridiculous that the only reason they were noticed was the fact that she had bent a massive wall of water hundreds of feet above the hunk of earth Toph had bent to be their boat. But she wasn't going to complain.

"Well Toph, there doesn't seem to be any guards that aren't preoccupied with whatever is going on in there so we can go about this calmly. As soon as we hit the shore you can destroy the walls of this place so that we can get in. They're metal but that shouldn't be a problem for you, right?"

A smirk and a scoff met her query, "Please Sweetness, you saw what I did to those metal balloons! This will be nothing! I swear they're going to have to think of something really out there to keep Toph Bei Fong from getting in!"

"Good because we're about to hit land!"

The waterbender slowed their approach and set their rocky transport down smoothly on the ground.

As soon as her feet hit the floor, Toph was moving toward the black walls of the prison. She placed her hands upon the massive structure, feeling around for a weakness, before giving a little shout of joy.

"Okay Sugar Queen I'm gonna tear down this wall and then we'll need some cover because there is something _big_ going down in there."

"Say no more," the brunette laughed as she pulled another titanic wave of water up, "I've got this!"

The heiress snorted, "Oh Sweetness you should bust people out of prison more often! It brings out your wild side!"

With that she tensed, setting her footing and firming her stance, before plunging her fingers into the metal obstacle before them and pulled them apart with all her might. An earsplitting shriek went up as the metal groaned and whined in protest.

"Whenever you're ready Sweetness," Toph prompted with a grimace, the sound not at all appreciated by her sensitive ears.

With a feral growl, Katara let loose the boiling hot tsunami that was at her command.

Seconds before the wave hit there was a terrified scream and someone shouting,

"TAKE COVER!"

Nothing could stop the torrential current of scathing water from decimating anything in its way. The water found every single crack, corner and person that wasn't above floor level and proceeded to make quick work of them, effectively eliminating any and all threats to the two girls in a matter of seconds.

The screams however were what had Katara rethinking their plan of attack. Long, anguished wails melded together with sharp, shrill shrieks of agony before quickly being stifled as the surging water covered their source.

'_Some of these people are innocent,_' she thought as regret shot through her, '_and I may have just condemned them to death._'

Before she could voice her concerns to Toph, the earthbender snapped her head toward her, eyes wide, "Our boys are in that tower over there Sweetness but," she shook her head in frustration, "they're surrounded and have others with them."

Katara's heart raced at the prospect of Zuko being so close and she gave Toph's shoulder a reassuring squeeze, "We'll get them out Toph, whoever is up there with them won't be expecting a waterbender much less a blind earthbender!"

They made their way quickly up the nearest staircase, fighting off the remaining guards and ignoring the moans and pleas for help from the wounded. Again some part of Katara knew that after this was over her conscious would never let her live down the fact that she'd chosen to overlook people in need.

'_But _I_ need to save the boys,'_ she growled at herself, _'I can pray for forgiveness later.'_

As they drew closer to the guard tower they could see flames flying and hear the sounds of battle and, judging by the number of people Toph had sensed, things were only going to get worse.

"Okay Sweetness," Toph said as she caught the waterbender's arm, "I'm gonna need you to be careful about this, alright? Being blind gives me the advantage when it comes to precision attacks—not to mention earthbending is a lot more subtle; no big waves to give the enemy a warning."

She smirked at Katara's disbelieving snort, "Anyway I'll hit them first so we can clear a path for Sparky, Snoozles and company to make a break for it and then you can follow up with some waterbending to cool off those hotheads 'cause Spirits know they're going to be pissed!"

With a grim smile Katara nodded, "Alright Toph let's do this!"

Quietly the two set themselves up on either side of the doorway, Katara peering around the corner trying to get a sense of what Toph already knew.

At least twenty soldiers—firebenders judging by the small flames each of them wielded—stood in a circle around a small group of people. Katara's eyes widened as she took in the sight.

'_Sokka!' _she cried mentally, barely managing to withhold her excitement as her eyes scanned the rest of the defenders, _'And Suki! And…two men I don't even know. But where's…'_ There was nothing Katara could do to stop her stomach from plummeting as her eyes fell to the figure on the floor.

Zuko lay on the floor, his clothes torn and bloody and his face cut up in every which way. And he wasn't moving.

"Oh La no!" Katara gasped, her eyes welling up with tears, her heart pounding, "Nononono! _Zuko!_"

She felt a blinding rage consume her and all reason vanished in the wake of her grief. She reached out all around her, gathering more of the scalding water and freezing it instantly into razor sharp spears of ice. With a hiss, steam rose off of each projectile from the abrupt temperature change, catching Toph's attention.

"Katara," she hissed, "what are you_ doing_? I told you I'd—"

"They killed Zuko," the brunette managed as she struggled to keep her voice from breaking, "they killed him! None of them are getting out of this alive!"

"Sweetness _wait_!"

But Toph's shout fell on deaf ears as Katara let out a scream of anguished rage, slinging the icicles with deadly accuracy. Every cry of pain, every plea for mercy had no effect on the angered waterbender. Where there was red, there went ice.

"Katara get _down_!" came Sokka's voice as he dove at his sister who, in her rampage, was oblivious to the flames headed her way from one of the guards who'd managed to slip through her onslaught.

As Katara looked up she saw the flames being redirected in mid flight and sent back to its source and her heart stopped praying and hoping that somehow Zuko was behind it, keeping her safe just as he'd promised all those days ago.

But it wasn't.

It was the shorter of the two men who had been with Sokka and Suki. Unlike Zuko, his skin was a rich tan color—much closer to her own skin tone then his fellow bender's—and his head was covered in the short, cropped ebony locks common among the Fire Nation military. He was lean and muscular, his stance self-assured and poised, his honey colored eyes shining brightly in defiance.

The blast connected with its target and brought down the last of the guards, the rest having either been bested by Katara's rage or Toph's earthbending.

"Katara what are you two _doing_ here?" Sokka growled as he got up from the floor, offering her his hand despite his obvious anger.

But his question fell on deaf ears.

The watebender was up and by Zuko's still form in a heartbeat, the tears that had threatened to fall before now running freely down her face. She put her hands to his face and nearly drew back in shock at the feel of his cold and clammy skin, a stark contrast to the normally warm temperature she was so used to.

"Oh Zuko," she whispered, her voice breaking as she rolled him onto his back and gasped as she saw his bruised and swollen face and the puncture wounds in his neck and chest, "what did they _do _to you?"

She buried her face in his chest as her grief overwhelmed her and sobbed.

And then she heard a soft groan of pain and felt a shallow intake of breath as the body beneath her quivered slightly, and a small raspy whimper escaped it, "K-Katara."

Said bender sat bolt upright, her reddened eyes wide with shock and hope, as she grabbed one of the prince's hands, "Zuko? Zuko are you…are you alive?"

Another small moan was all the response she got before a hand came down on her shoulder and she looked up into her brother's amused blue eyes, "Katara…Zuko was never _dead_. He's just been, uh, roughed up a little, that's all."

"B-but I...I—"

"_I_ tried to tell you that before you went all psycho on the guards Sweetness," Toph shook her head at her companion, "But _no_ let's just ignore the human heartbeat sensor because she's obviously failed us before!"

If Katara hadn't known she was a waterbender then the blush she felt encompassing her entire body might have just convinced her she was a full-fledge firebender. As it was she knew she was practically glowing red in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry I just…I just thought…"

Again she was interrupted, but this time it was by her savior, who had a kind smile on his face and soft eyes, "There's no reason to apologize Katara; you were merely concerned for the safety of your beloved, there's no shame in that."

Curiosity overtook the girl as she kept a firm grasp on her lover's hand, "How do you know my name? And who are you anyway?"

The man laughed, "My apologies. I'm Azzan and the lump sitting in the corner over there is Ton. We're prisoners here just like Suki, Sokka and Zuko and we were helping them make a break for it when we got surrounded.

"And as for how I know you…let's just say that Zuko talked about you a lot while he was here. He really is completely smitten with you."

"Sooooo….as much as I love introductions and gossip about seemingly cold-hearted benders really being gigantic fluffy koala-sheep," Suki chimed in sarcastically from her position by the window, "I really, really, _really_ think it would behoove us to _get out of here_! The guards managed to get out of your little sneak attack and are on their way now!"

"Right!" Sokka said slamming his fist into his palm for emphasis, "Now…how does this thing work?"

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Ton groaned, his hand running down his face in exasperation, "You set up this whole thing and you don't even know how to _use_ the gondola?"

"Well it's not like I built the damn thing!" Sokka retorted, his eyes scanning the control panel hurriedly, "Strategic genius I may be but even _I _have my limits!"

With a sigh, Azzan moved to stand next to Sokka, "Sometimes my friend, it is the simplest solution that is the answer. Observe."

He walked toward a pair of levers protruding from the ground just inside the guard tower and pulled on one, "Et voila!"

Immediately the summoned gondola began to move toward them.

Katara couldn't help the giggle that escaped her but she quickly stifled it when Sokka shot her a glare, "I didn't see that! Azzan that's no fair!"

"Darling," Suki purred tauntingly as she came to the boy's side before gripping his hand hard, "now is _not_ the time!"

The gondola arrived then and Azzan called them all over, "Alright, it's time to go! Come on now, everyone on board before the guards get back up and through the door!"

Sokka took hold of Zuko's other arm and threw it over his shoulder as Katara did the same, the siblings carefully pulling him onto the gondola, "What happened Sokka? You guys were supposed to be back a while ago."

Her brother's face was grim, his lips drawn in a hard line, "Let's get out of this first Katara…then I'll tell you, ok?"

Despite the burning desire to know what had happened she nodded and tenderly placed Zuko down on the floor of the metal transport, "Okay, but I'll hold you to that."

As the group piled on to the gondola Toph decided to speak up, "Sweetness…why aren't we calling for Appa? I'm sure he could get us out about a hundred times faster than this old rust bucket," she tapped her foot down on the floor of the vehicle and raised a brow, "Not to mention that leaving on this thing has so many potential ways to get us killed."

Sokka scowled, "Well if you had mentioned having Appa _before_ we went through all the trouble of dragging Captain Unconscious all the way over here, that would've been _great_!"

"Question!" Ton chimed in, his hand raised to catch their attention and also to stave off any potential arguments, "What's an 'Appa'?"

"Appa," Katara answered, "is a flying bison that used to belong to our friend Aang, the Avatar, before he was killed. Toph and I rode him here after I freaked out about these two idiots being gone for so long. We told him to stay hidden until we called for him, but he's terrified of fire and I didn't want to put him through that."

Toph seemed to shrink at the older girl's words while Ton and Azzan gave each other surprised looks.

"An air bison? That is so awesome!" Ton gushed as he glanced at Sokka for confirmation, which the teen gave with a nod of his head.

"STOP THEM! DON'T LET THEM GET ON THE GONDOLA!"

It seemed the warden had managed to round up another squadron of guards—some charred, burnt and crispy but nevertheless a threat—and they were racing back up the steps, flames already beginning to fly.

"Sis, can we call Appa _now_?" Sokka squeaked as he shifted Zuko's weight over his shoulders once again, "I _really_ don't think we're gonna make it with our original plan anymore!"

"Alright alright alright!" Katara growled as she reached a hand into her shirt and pulled out the bison whistle, "Here's hoping he stuck close by!"

The waterbender took a deep breath and blew the whistle.

No sound and no sign that the device had worked prompted a raised eyebrow from Azzan, "Is…that it? Not to burst your bubble or anything but I don't think your whistle is working."

Ton snorted, "Ain't that the truth."

"Heads up!" Suki shouted as a column of fire passed right over their heads from below, "whatever we're gonna do we have to do it _now_! The gondola won't last much longer and I don't know how long we can hold out against these guys if we're waiting for Appa!"

On cue a loud roar tore through the sky as the Avatar's companion soared in to their rescue.

"Anymore comments from the negative Nancy's in our group?" Katara questioned, sending a pointed look to the two newest additions to their party. Neither replied but both found it hard to keep their smiles hidden.

With another roar the sky bison let loose a powerful gust of air at the approaching guards, knocking them off their feet.

"Let's go!" Sokka barked, "Everyone onto Appa! It's time to get _out_ of this hell hole!"

One by one they climbed aboard the hovering bison, Katara and Sokka carefully handing Zuko up to Azzan and Ton, with Toph bringing up the rear.

"Everybody on? Yes?" Sokka turned toward his companions and took a quick head count, "Good! For those of you new to sky bison riding please keep your hands and feet inside at all times and make sure to fasten your hands around the nearest person to you during take off! Here we go! Appa yip yip!"

With a mighty slam of his tail the enormous mammal lifted off from the prison and up into the sky amidst torrents of flame and the frustrated shouts of the warden.

"DAMN YOU LITTLE BASTARDS! I WANT THEM CAUGHT, YOU HEAR ME? _CAUGHT_!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They hadn't been flying for more than a few minutes when Sokka let out a scream.

"What?" Toph panicked shooting up from her place next to Katara and the still unconscious fire prince, "What is it? Are we under attack? Are we crashing? Oh not _again_!"

"Again?" Sokka queried with a raised brow at his sister, "No it's just…when Zuko and I first set out we kinda…_borrowed_ a couple of ostrich-horses from this little farm along the way and I want to bring them back. They belonged to an old couple with a baby and I felt kind of bad. We tied them up just before we started climbing up the side of the volcano."

Azzan ran a hand down his face in exasperation, his eyes falling on the slumbering prince. With a sigh he nodded at Sokka, "I'll go with you that way if any of the guards decided to run perimeter checks you'll have _some_ kind of defense against them."

"Thanks," Sokka drawled, shoving the firebender good-naturedly before turning to Katara, "what do you say sis, you feel like another drop off and pick up?"

The waterbender scowled fiercely at her brother, "You _stole_ someone's ostrich horses? An _old couple's_ ostrich horses?"

Sokka grimaced, "Heh…that's all you heard, huh?"

Snickers from Toph and Ton went ignored as Katara leaned closer to her brother, "You'd _better_ return those animals Sokka or so help me _La_ I'm going to beat you into the ground for leaving those people without any sort of help whatsoever!" She grabbed the reigns out of his hands, "Appa we need to get low and drop off Azzan and Captain Idiot, okay?"

A rumbling groan came from the gentle giant before they changed direction and began a steady descent towards the forested ground below.

"Alright," Sokka said as they drew closer to the base of the volcano, "this is close enough. The two ostrich-horses should be around here somewhere. Azzan and I will find them and ride them back to the farm—although that'll take us at least a day—and then once we drop them off, you guys can pick us up again, alright?"

"Got it Snoozles," Toph smirked as the two males dismounted the creature, "just make sure you don't get caught and thrown right back in jail!"

"Yeah," Suki added with a smile of her own, "it sure would be a shame to have my man break me out only to see _him_ take my place!"

"Aww Suki," Ton jibed, "who knew you had a soft side to you?"

She smacked him on the arm, "Shut up!"

There was a light round of chuckles before Sokka turned to his sister, "You guys just stay low and follow us, okay? We'll be back at camp with dad and you'll be able to take care of Zuko there, alright?"

Despite the look of steel on her face, Sokka saw the look of concern that swept through her eyes, "Yeah…yeah."

With that the small band remaining on Appa watched as Azzan and Sokka slowly disappeared into the forest, carefully treading through the thick foliage that lay before them.

Only to see them come flying back out seconds later with Azzan barking at them to take off.

"It's the guards! They recovered a lot faster than I thought they would! We need to leave!"

"Oh shitshitshitshitshit_shit_!" Sokka screamed, his eyes wide with fear as he vaulted straight onto Appa from the ground, "They're coming they're _coming_! Yip yip Appa, _yip yip_!"

Suki grabbed onto Azzan's hand just as they lifted off and, with Ton's help, managed to heave the former captain on board.

And it was just in time as from seemingly nowhere a whole wave of Fire Nation soldiers appeared, palms alight with flames and ready to attack.

"I don't understand how they got organized so quickly," Azzan growled as he looked down at the steadily shrinking warriors below, "It took us forever just to get the gondola from one side to the other and there's no way that they could have piled that many soldiers on there at once!"

"Umm," Katara said from Appa's head, "are you sure those were the same guards?"

"What?" Ton asked scratching his head, "Those were the prison guard's uniforms alright. It had to have been them."

Toph piped up, "When Sugar Queen and I were flying over to come save_ your_ sorry butts," she pointed vaguely in Sokka's direction before tapping Zuko on the head, "we got caught up in a hailstorm of fire nation war balloons and we had to take to the trees for cover. It was slow going at first but we managed to lose them…though we're not quite sure if they ever left."

"Agni," Azzan breathed as he ran a hand through his hair, "things just keep getting better and better."

"Guys," Suki said getting their attention and pointing ahead of them, "we have company."

"Oh sweet La," Katara gasped in anguish, her grip on the reigns tightening.

"Speak of the devil," Ton quoted, "and he shall come."

"Mommy," Sokka whimpered.

Before them floated a fleet of war balloons drawing closer by the second, each one more menacing than the others around it. Soldiers could be seen running to and fro within the main cabins and several were taking positions at individual posts near the front of the ships.

"I hope you're ready to fly boy," Katara whispered to Appa, stroking his head reassuringly, "it's going to be a bumpy ride."

"You're going to have to get up and away from the trees unless you want them to burn the forest to the ground," Azzan commented from his place near the back with Ton, "I can keep most of the fire off of us if we move fast enough but if we slow down…"

He left his words unfinished, their conclusion not needed to emphasize his point.

"Here we go," Katara grimaced, "Fly hard Appa it's the only thing that's going to save us."

And they were off.

Flames lit up the sky, crisscrossing every which way as the sky bison did its best to weave through all the chaos in the air. What he couldn't dodge was held off by Azzan who worked tirelessly to fend off the building inferno.

"Get me close Sweetness," Toph urged the mocha girl, "just like before. But _no diving_!"

"Right," Katara nodded to herself and pulled up on Appa's reigns, "come on Appa, let's get Toph to do the dirty work!"

They flew toward the closest zeppelin swiftly, Azzan keeping the flames of the soldiers on board at bay. Once they were beneath the ship Toph stood up and cracked her knuckles.

"Okay people, you're about to witness the greatest earthbender of all time kick some _serious _firebender ship _butt_! Watch and be green with envy!"

She raised her hands and found the cool steel of the zeppelin, her fingers searching for the weakest point. Suddenly she stilled, a smirk pulling at her lips, "Gotcha. It's gonna be raining firebenders!"

The sound of protesting metal greeted the groups ears as the tiny bender ripped through the material as if it were a wet scroll.

Ton, Azzan and Suki could only sit and stare in stunned disbelief having never before seen anything like the spectacle before them. Where had this small, blind, short-tempered earthbender learned to do what should have been impossible?

"Incredible," breathed Suki, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open, "that's just…Toph how—"

"Desperate times called for desperate measure Warrior Woman," winked the green-eyed teen, "I did what I had to do when I needed to do it and I found a new way of getting through things in the process. Nobody can keep the Blind Bandit down for long!"

Just then a torrent of flames caught the boasting bender across the back and, with a scream of terror, tumbling over the edge.

"TOPH!" shrieked Katara, her hands shooting to her side for her water skin and twisting the cap off only to find that it was empty, "NO! TOPH! SOMEONE _DO _SOMETHING!"

Sokka tried to think of something desperately. Katara was the only one in their group who could have _possibly_ done anything to help the falling bender. Azzan could bend yes, but the water tribe warrior had _yet_ to see fire used to help anyone. Suki, Ton and himself were about as useful as newborns and Zuko…

Almost as if he'd been waiting for this very moment the prince gave an enormous groan as he forced himself upright, "Toph…Toph I'm coming."

"Zuko?" Katara gasped, her eyes huge but worried.

"I'm coming Toph," the prince ground out again as he got to his feet unsteadily and looked over the edge, "Agni I hope this works."

"Zuko what—" Sokka started but stopped cold when the pale teen launched himself over the side of the saddle and into the darkening sky, "WHAAAA! DID HE JUST JUMP OFF THE SKY BISON? DID HE _JUMP_ OFF THE _FLYING ANIMAL?_"

"ZUKO!" Katara cried as she watched her fiancé throw himself after the Toph. If she lost either one of them now it would be more than she could bear, "Appa go after them! We have to catch them!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

She could feel her voice giving out even as she fell end over end. She had never felt this terrified in her entire life: not when she had been kidnapped and shoved inside of the small metal prison and definitely not when she and Katara had taken that psychotic nosedive.

This was completely different.

Being blind had never scared her but not knowing which way was up or where the ground was made her feel like a frightened baby turtle duck. When was she going to splat onto the ground, an unrecognizable lump that not even her parents would be able to recognize? Was this the end of the world's greatest earthbender?

"Fancy meeting you here Toph."

Her screams stopped and her eyes snapped open. She was hearing things, there was no _possible_ way that Zuko was with her—he'd been asleep on Appa when she'd fallen! It was impossible!

"Stop gaping in disbelief and get over here Short Round or neither of us are going to get out of this alive!"

"Zuko?" Toph squeaked out, hardly daring to believe it.

"You bet your earthbending ass!" she heard his voice moving closer almost as if he was controlling his fall, "I'm baaack!"

Strong, warm arms wrapped around her pulling her close to a broad chest, "I've got you Midget just hang on, okay? I'm gonna try something and, hopefully, it'll work."

Toph gulped, "And if it doesn't?"

"Let's not think about that Bandit, alright?" Zuko said with a soft chuckle before taking a deep breath, "Just breathe."

And just like that they weren't falling anymore. In fact they seemed to be going _up_!

"What's going on? What are you…how are we…we should be dead!" Toph yelled, her fear of the unknown losing out to her overwhelming desire to figure out what the hell was going on! "Sparky you'd better tell me what's going on _right _now before I kick you where only Katara likes to tread!"

If it wasn't for the rushing wind filling their ears Toph was sure she would've been able to hear the stunned look on Zuko's face as well as the rapid blinking of his eyes that meant he was processing _exactly_ what she'd said.

"When we get out of this young lady," he scolded seriously, "we're going to have a long talk about your sense of humor and whether or not it's appropriate, you hear me?"

"Yeah yeah just tell me what the heck is going on Posh!" Toph barked.

Zuko sighed, "If you must know I successfully managed to channel my firebending through my feet, and we're currently rising back _up_ because of it. Though I doubt I'm going to have enough juice to get us to Appa much less keep us afloat for long. Being imprisoned, fed slop and tortured for a few days really takes its toll on a guy."

"So," Toph began, a little wary to voice her question in fear of the answer, "does that mean that we're going to die unless Sweetness or someone else on top of Appa _sees_ us? How far did we fall anyway?"

A deep laugh, "Well if I had to guess I'd say we're about…a good thousand feet from the ground and Appa's…well Appa's a little blob from down here."

Toph felt her stomach lurch dangerously at the revelation, "Spirits I fell _that_ _far_? Oh I don't feel so good."

"Tell me about it," groaned the prince, "I haven't even been awake for five minutes and I've already saved someone's life and discovered a new means of transportation via firebending. I'm dead where I float."

"Well at least at this rate we won't crash into the ground _too_ hard," Toph offered nonchalantly, "they may still be able to identify our bodies post mortem."

There was a short silence after her statement, as though Zuko had nothing to say to her. And then she felt the firebender take a sharp breath and tighten his grip around her waist. His heartbeat picked up rapidly and Toph felt a sinking feeling settle in her stomach.

"So," Zuko began calmly though his pounding heart betrayed his bravado, "you know those war balloons that were attacking you guys? You know, the ones with the firebenders on them that made you fall off Appa?" Toph nodded, "Well they're coming our way…_fast_."

"We're screwed, aren't we?" It was blunt, but then Toph had never thought herself one for sugar coating anything.

Zuko snorted, "So it would seem Munchkin."

"TOPH! ZUKO! HEADS UP!"

Both of the teens in question snapped their heads in the direction of the shout, though only Zuko saw the incoming sky bison and the motley crew on its back. He squeezed Toph tightly in relief, "It's the others Toph! Katara, Sokka, Suki, Ton and Azzan! We're saved and—AAHHH!"

The blind bender let out a scream of her own as she felt them drop sharply, "What the heck was that Sparky? Why'd we fall?"

The prince chuckled nervously, "I may have lost concentration for a second there…you know because I was so excited. Sorry about that."

She punched him.

_Hard._

"I'm not sure I deserved that," Zuko whined as he clutched at his aching stomach, "I _really_ don't think I deserved that Toph. I've been nothing but good to you since I woke up! And _this _is how you repay me? I am depressed."

"You realize of course," Toph said as they continued to hover in the air, waiting on the speeding sky bison to get to them, "that you've been gone for about a week, right? And punches are how I show love and affection for those that I care about. _That_ punch just happened to be the combined love and affection that I have been keeping for you since the day you left!"

Zuko growled, "A simple "I love you Zuko" would suffice Tiny."

Appa pulled up next to the floating benders, the shocked faces of all those on board simply staring at yet _another_ seemingly fictitious sight. After a rather long and awkward pause, Sokka was the first to regain his bearings.

"Right, so we're kind of in the middle of an epic air battle…chase…_thing_ and we really should be going. If you two would kindly get on the bison it would be much appreciated!"

They obliged the slightly stressed out warrior and took their places on Appa's back where, not even a second after setting Toph down, Zuko was assaulted by a hysteric Katara.

"GAH! KATARA," Sokka screeched in panic, "YOU CAN'T JUST _DROP_ THE REIGNS LIKE THAT! DO YOU WANT US TO CRASH?"

Said waterbender paid him no heed.

"YOU _IDIOT_!" Katara howled, fists punching every inch of her fiancé that she could find, "WHAT KIND OF MORON WAKES UP FROM A TORTURE ENDUCED COMA AND JUST UP AND _JUMPS_ OFF OF A _FLYING BISON_?"

Off to the side, Ton leaned over to Azzan and mumbled, "I have a very distinct feeling we're about to find out. Well, us and at least half of the Fire Nation…girl's got a set of lungs on her."

The former captain could only nod in agreement.

"YOU, THAT'S WHO! PRINCE ZUKO OF THE LA FORSAKEN _FIRE NATION_!" she continued to beat his chest, though the blows were becoming softer now and hiccups broke through, "Y-you stupid stupid _stupid_ i-idiot!"

And then she hugged him and all was forgiven as she felt herself melt into his warm embrace.

Zuko wrapped his arms around her tightly, his eyes closed as he savored the feeling of being here, with her.

Of being home.

"I'm sorry Katara," he whispered into her hair, placing a gentle kiss on the crown of her head, "we weren't supposed to take so long. We ran into Azula almost as soon as we set eyes on the prison and things went downhill from there. And then all of a sudden I'm waking up to Toph screaming her lungs out, you shouting about someone helping and—"

He was cut off as the waterbender pulled away from him and turned toward the green-eyed girl, "Oh _Toph_!"

With that she crawled to the blind bender and proceeded to squeeze the life out of her, "Are you okay? Oh La I tried to help, I really did but when I went to my water skin it was completely dry!"

The tiny girl had begun to turn purple at the lack of oxygen, "K-Katara….'m _fine_! Can't b-b-_breathe_!"

The group matron loosened her grip but didn't drop it completely, "I knew I shouldn't have agreed to your crazy plan! I almost lost _both _of you, do you know what that would have _done_ to me?"

Zuko came over and drew both of the girls into a hug, "It's okay now Katara, we're safe, we're here okay?"

"GROUP HUG!" Sokka declared, grabbing Suki's arm and tugging her into the impromptu love fest, "Azzan, Ton—don't you even_ think_ about trying to stay out of this!"

A little awkwardly the two newest additions made their way over and were almost immediately dragged in by Suki and Sokka.

A roar from Appa brought them all back to reality.

That and the flames streaking dangerously close to their heads.

"I don't mean to be a kill joy," Azzan started.

"Too late," Toph muttered with a smirk.

He played it off well however, and continued on as if nothing had been said, "This is getting to be a little ridiculous. As happy as I am to be _out_ of that prison with everyone in our partysafe and sound, I think it's time to get _away_ from these guys, alright?"

"Right," Sokka confirmed taking hold of the reigns again, "let's leave these Fire Nation jerks in the dust!"

Zuko snorted, "Haha…jerk…circle!"

No one had ever seen Sokka turn _that_ red so fast before. His head snapped around and he locked eyes with the prince, "Don't. You. _DARE_!"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A few hours had passed since they had last seen any sign of the Fire Nation ships that had been chasing them, Appa's superior mobility allowing them to easily outrun their pursuers. They were flying low and slow now that the sun had set with Sokka and Azzan the only two awake, the former to steer and the latter to keep him company. Unfortunately the weight of the passengers was proving to be just a little too much for the sky bison to bear.

A tired groan escaped from the large mammal prompting Sokka to furrow his brow in concern, "You okay Appa?" Another groan this one longer and more drawn out but still just as exhausted, "You sure you can't hold out a little longer boy? We've only got a few more miles to go."

The bison gave him no choice as he set himself down in the closest field, the landing not one of Appa's most graceful, but effective nonetheless. The impact of the rough landing startled the passengers awake.

"What's a matter?" Toph asked groggily from her spot in between Zuko and Katara her hair standing up in every which way, "Why we stopped?"

"Is something wrong?" Kartara questioned, her eyes still clouded with sleep. Beside her Zuko voiced the same question, though his eyes were sharp and alert taking in their surroundings.

Sokka waved away the questions, "No nothing's wrong, Appa's just tired from lugging us all around for five hours straight. I figure we're just going to have to set up camp here for now until he's ready to go again." He glanced at the now slumbering bison, the beast's snores disturbing the tall grass before him and sending up clouds of dust, "Whenever that may be."

Suki and Ton jumped down from the saddle and walked toward the Water Tribe teen. Toph was next, closely followed by Azzan, Zuko and Katara.

"Now we're gonna need some fire wood, makeshift blankets and someone is going to have to go hunting for dinner because I'm out of jerky and I—" again Zuko snorted, his eyes lighting up with humor but Sokka gritted his teeth and pressed on, "—because I am not _not_ going to eat good food tonight right after I've gotten out of jail and away from the prison crap!"

A chorus of agreements met his statement and it was decided that Ton and Suki would gather the wood, Katara and Zuko would figure out the blanket situation and Toph, Azzan and Sokka would do the hunting.

First back were Suki and Ton and they quickly set about building a suitable fire, though they opted to wait for one of the firebenders to get back to start it. Following them were the three hunters Toph wearing a satisfied smirk on her face, Sokka looking downright pissed and Azzan sporting a bemused expression and hefting a good sized antelope-deer.

"There's absolutely _no_ fun in hunting when you don't have to _track_ anything Toph! I mean seriously, we didn't even get to _see_ the game before you killed them! How is that sporting?"

The earthbender just snorted, "Snoozles you were the one who was making the big deal about wanting to eat _now_! So I just thought I'd get you to your goal a _little _bit sooner! You should be _thanking _me on bended knee Meathead, not nagging me on the ethics of hunting!"

Azzan walked over to Ton and Suki, "Would you believe me if I told you that they've been arguing like this for the last few hours?"

Ton chuckled while Suki responded with a grin, "Those two really love yanking the other's chain. Back in Ba Sing Se Katara was telling me about how often they argue and, apparently, things can get pretty epic so I'd count yourself lucky that nothing was destroyed!"

Zuko and Katara came back next hands clasped and bright grins on their faces, though both looking a little disheveled.

"Well I know what _you_ two were doing," Toph teased.

"I'd rather not have an image of my sister and her boyfriend making out in the woods while we're—and there it is. I hate you Toph."

A smile, "Always happy to help Snoozles!"

The two lovers planted themselves around the pile of sticks Ton and Suki had gathered and Zuko held out a hand—a small flame shooting out—and ignited the stack into a strong, healthy fire.

"Let's get that antelope-deer skinned and cooking!" Sokka declared happily reaching over his shoulder to pull out his boomerang only to stop short when he found nothing, "…Boomerang."

"Oh yeah," Katara piped up with a small smile on her face as she stood up, pulling something out of the folds of her dress, "when Toph and I got to the Boiling Rock we found this at the entrance."

It was his boomerang.

"BOOMERANG!" Sokka squealed shooting up from his spot next to Suki, tears shining in his eyes, "YOU _DO _ALWAYS COME BACK!"

He hugged the weapon close to his chest, as if it was the most precious thing in the world to him. Pulling away from the embrace he kissed it over and over again, completely ecstatic to be reunited with his constant companion. Looking over to Katara, he smiled brightly.

"Thanks sis. Thanks a lot."

She merely smiled at her brother before sitting down next to Zuko again.

"Now," Sokka began brandishing his boomerang's bladed edge, "we can get down to the food preparation! Oh man…if only we had some sea prunes!"

"Believe it or not," said a voice from behind them, just beyond the light of their campfire, "I can help you with that."

The reaction was unavoidable.

"AAAAHHHH!" Sokka, Katara, Toph and Ton screamed in fright, though it was probably safer to assume that the earthbender was more startled by the shouts around her than the unknown intruder behind them.

Azzan, Zuko and Suki were more disciplined and, thanks to their years of training, jumped right to their feet and into their chosen fighting stances although the two males each set both of their palms ablaze for added effect.

"Who are you?" Zuko growled as the three of them moved towards the spot the voice had come from, "And how did you find us?"

"Calm yourself young bender," the voice soothed, "I'll come into the light. I mean you no harm."

Sure enough a figure emerged from the shadows moments later, tall but with an obvious hunch in his shoulders as if it hurt him to stand up straight. He was old, older even than Iroh but with a full head of hair and kind green eyes. The clothes he wore were simple and sensible and tilted more toward dark brown than anything else.

"My name is Seto Ayani and as to your second question," he directed at Zuko, "I found you when I looked out the window of my home right over there," he gestured with his hand over his shoulder, "where I live with my wife, Mara."

There was a sharp intake of breath from Zuko's left and Azzan stepped forward, "Seto? Is that really you? I-it's me…it's Azzan."

Seto's eyes shot open in surprise as his gaze landed on the obviously startled firebender, "Azzan? Kia's husband? A captain of the Fire Nation army?"

Azzan nodded hesitantly, "I was a captain until my own country threw me into prison for associating with Kia…with a member of one of the Water Tribes."

The old man shot forward, showing incredible speed for his age, and wrapped the young man in a crushing embrace, "It's so good to see you my boy! We had begun to fear the worst when you didn't come back after the initial purge was done. We had to move away when security began to tighten up and the Fire Lord started demanding that any woman found who was pregnant be brought in for questioning."

Fear shot through the young captain's eyes, "Kia?"

Seto shook his head, "No, we managed to get on the last transport out of the capital before _that_ particular decree was put through. And it was not a day too soon! Almost as soon as we got here Kia went in to labor and Mara had me running every which way trying do ten different things! But it was a successful delivery! I am happy to say that you are officially a father." He clapped the stunned man on the shoulder chuckling at the gobsmacked expression on his face.

"Kia's…alive? A-and…I'm a…a f-father?" The normally composed and infallible warrior had been reduced to a stammering, stuttering mass, "She…_they're_ here?"

"Yes son," Seto smiled brightly, "in the house."

Azzan seemed at a loss for words so Ton spoke up, "I'm sure our seemingly dumbfounded friend would like to ask if he could see them, as he had been told that they were dead while we were in prison."

"But of course," the grandfatherly man nodded enthusiastically first at Azzan and then at the rest of the group, who had remained silent and still up to this point, "of course you may! All of you are more than welcome to come in as well. Mara and Kia have actually been a little stressed out today thanks to the baby and when those two get stressed out, well they cook up a storm! And we have plenty of room too, so you don't need to worry about that! Come, let's get you all inside."

Never ones to let a free meal and bed pass them by, the group got up and, after Katara informed the half-asleep bison where they would be, followed Seto to the cozy looking house just a few minutes away.

"Mara! Kia! I'm home," Seto called out as he opened the door and held it for the weary party to enter, "and I've brought guests!"

"Hey Zuko," Sokka whispered his brow furrowed in confusion, "doesn't this house look…_familiar_?"

"What are you—" the prince began before things clicked into place, "Oh shit…the ostrich-horse house!"

Sokka nodded, "Yeah, that's what I thought too. Maybe if we just keep that to ourselves, nobody will notice. Besides, Seto seems like a good guy maybe he won't be angry if he does find out!"

An older feminine voice interrupted their hasty conversation.

"Seto who did you bring this time? I swear with the way you bring in random passersby it'd be a wonder if we haven't fed half of Ba Sing Se by now!" The woman stopped in the doorway, her eyes taking in the ragtag group of teens before her, "By Agni…"

"Mara?" asked another voice from what was presumably the kitchen, this one definitely younger and female as well, "Is everything alright?" In walked another woman, though she was markedly younger than the first, whose tan skin, blue eyes and chocolate locks were only the beginning of her mesmerizing features.

And resting in her arms was a happily sleeping baby girl whose ebony locks were unmistakably her father's but whose skin she had obviously inherited from her mother.

"What is going on he—" her words trailed off as her gaze landed on Azzan and her eyes began to mist over. Softly she breathed, "A-Azzan?"

"Kia…" Azzan gasped, staring dumbly at his wife and…daughter? Yes, it was his _daughter!_

He went to her, ignoring the rest of the tears on everyone else's faces except for his wife's and carefully, so as not to disturb their child's slumber, pulled her to him in a long awaited embrace.

"Oh Agni Kia," Azzan whispered, "I'd thought I'd _lost _you! I never thought I would see you again!"

Kia sniffled and shook her head in the crook of his neck, "No, I'm here Azzan. Though I had thought that I'd lost _you_! La I can't believe you're actually _here_!"

"I am love," he soothed with a soft kiss to her forehead, "but it seems we're no longer alone. Who is this beautiful baby girl?"

With a soft giggle Kia pulled away slightly so that Azzan could see their child, "This is your daughter. Your daughter Nova."

**_End Book_ _I_**

* * *

><p>AN: And there you have it, the end of _Avatar: The Fall_! It has been one heck of a ride ladies and gentlemen, but this story is **_far_** from over! Currently in the works is the next installment of the series _Avatar: Emergence_ so keep a lookout because things should get a little bit more interesting as soon as we jump into that one!

Again, I really am sorry about getting this chapter out so late, but now that it's here, all I can do is ask you for any kind of feedback because I'd really like to know just what you guys think!

**_Remember! _** Avatar: Emergence**_ will be coming out soon! If you want to stay on top of things, I'd recommend the Author Alert option! _** Til next time!

-HakushoRurouni


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